In the Midst of War
by SweetTemptation926
Summary: In 1944, Caroline Forbes joins the American Army Nurse Corps right in the climax of World War II. She thought she was going out to war to help the wounded but when she meets a man, a soldier named Niklaus Mikaelson she learns that the danger out there is far worse than it seems. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: I may or may not be writing an actual fic for once. I'm trying to do a few chapters before I actually post more though. Want to be ahead of schedule. Especially seeing as I have no time. Tell me what you guys think! There's not much Klaus in this first chapter but he is there ;) Be patient with me.**

**Be warned though. The historical facts in this fic are not always correct. Most have been made up to fit the story. So if false historical facts bother you then this story is not for you.**

There is a certain smell to the air when death and despair are near. It is a sour stench. It hits you like a wall of bricks and at first you're repulsed, but it quickly turns into fear and sadness. Some have been unfortunate enough to be familiar with it. Someone who is very familiar with it is nurse Caroline Forbes.

She's tending to a woman's wounds at the hospital near her home in Mystic Falls, Virginia. The woman has a bloodied lip and a swollen eye. She's dressed to impress in her white and green floral print dress. She's one of the wealthy in Virginia. Caroline is very familiar with this woman. Her name is Mary Brothers and she is married to an angry man but she insists that her injuries are all accidents. The first time she came in she had proclaimed that she fell off her bike. The second time she came in she said it was from a fall down the steps. The third she had no excuse and simply sat quietly as Caroline tended to her needs. This time however, she's a bit more honest.

"What do you do when you love a man you want to leave?" She looked up at Caroline with wide desperate eyes when she asked.

"I'm not sure I understand." Caroline said slowly as she cleaned the blood from her lip.

Mary looked at her as the tears started to form. "He was a real gent when we first met and I couldn't help but fall in love with him." She looked down at the red mark on her wrist. "I just didn't know what I was getting myself into." She whispered.

"Listen to me." Caroline says demandingly. "No man in this world is worth _this._" Caroline lifts up her wrist as Mary flinches. "You seem to have a sprain here."

"I suppose." She has this far away look like she's not really there. Like she doesn't really know what she's saying. "But you see, as much as I want to leave him, I'm still waiting for the man that I love to come back." She says this quietly as Caroline wraps an elastic bandage around her wrist.

It's something she could never understand. How anyone could forgive a man for cruel acts. She doesn't know how any woman could love such a black heart. "Mrs. Brothers, this will be my last day here. I advise you to get out of this life because you are in dire need of help. I can only do so much if you let me."

"Where are you going?" Mary asks with a panicked look. Caroline looks at the poster behind her promoting the army nurse corps and Mary follows her eyes. The sign reads at the top, _You are needed now._ "Oh I see." Mary looks down. "You have a brave heart Caroline. Your mother and you have that in common. Your heart is kind and you never cease to care. I wish you the best of luck." She stood up and hugged Caroline and whispered into her ear. "Go help those men."

Her mother is a different story that night. Caroline has just about finished packing when her mother walks in the room. She stands up straight and looks at her mom who is leaning against the wall. For a moment they just stare at each other with a look that could break hearts. A look of fear, honor, and anguish. Neither are smiling. Her mother who has been very vocal about her disapproval of this decision changes in her demeanor on this night. Her disapproving headshakes are now replaced with a look of respect in her eyes. Caroline softly smiles when she sees it and the tears start to well in the corner of her eyes.

"I understand why you've chosen this but I still believe you should find a man to take care of you here at home." Her mother says firmly, so firmly that you almost miss the crack in her voice as she stops speaking.

"All of the men are in the war mother." Caroline responds quietly with a cheeky smile.

Her mother laughs softly and walks over to the chest that she has packed. "Are you sure that will be enough?"

"What else will I really need?" She asked white a sarcastic glint in her eye.

"Don't forget this." Her mom said walking over to the dresser. She lifted up her dog tags and dangled them in the air.

"I would never." Caroline smiled as she grabbed it from her grasp. She looked outside the window at the empty driveway.

Her mother followed her eyes and sighed quietly. "He'll be here to see you off tomorrow."

Caroline presses her lips together and nods. Her father had always been her best friend when she was a young girl. He had adored his first and only daughter and she was his shadow. But somewhere along the way, when she was a teenager he began to drown himself in his work and she felt as if he had forgotten about her.

And maybe that was why she decided to become and army nurse. At 25, she was still neglected by her family, stuck in her small town aiding patients for minor scratches, still unmarried even though her mother had wanted to marry her off to the local town hero, Tyler Lockwood. The mayor's son, who she had been dating since her high school days. When they were 21 he proposed and she denied him, claiming that something was missing. To be honest the boy was quite dense. The second she denied him he ran off for military training.

Caroline felt like she really wasn't leaving much behind. She wanted to move on to bigger and better things. That was her answer when the women who gossiped asked if she was leaving to chase after Tyler. Caroline Forbes was never one to chase a man. She was the one they pursued.

Her and her mother stood, staring at the chest she had just closed. The silence drowning the air in the room was deafening. Her mother breathed in deeply and her breath hitched and a soft cry escaped her throat. She pretended like it never happened though and smiled back at her daughter.

"I'll miss you Sunshine." They simultaneously pull each other into a tight grasp. Their arms were holding onto each other's backs as if they were holding on to their lives.

Her mother was never one for words. Caroline was always the affectionate one in the relationship. But in that moment, her actions made up for the silence. And she understood exactly what they were saying. "I love you too."

* * *

The next morning she's waiting to board the trains. Her father hadn't returned from work and they hadn't said goodbye. A part of her wanted to quit it all. Why wouldn't he say goodbye? What if this was the last time they saw each other and he couldn't even bother to show up? She wasn't sure if she wanted to sob or scream.

_Probably both._ She thought. Just when she scoffed she sees him behind the crowd running after her with his coat hanging on his arms. He's failing his arms in the air waving something around in his hands. His knuckles were white as he grasped whatever it was. She stares, her mouth agape. He calls her name breathlessly and stops once he reaches her. "I'm sorry." He breathes out. He holds his stomach from all of the running.

She looks at his hand and sees what he was waving in the air. It's a necklace. "What's that?" She asks, ignoring his apology.

He lifts it up and she can now see it all. It's a gold thin chain with a dangling flower patterned pendent hanging from with and oval glass atop it. Inside the oval glass gem, sits a rose pattern. "It's why I was late."

She lifts her hair and turns around, allowing him to clip the necklace on her. She touches it and feels the crease. She opens the back and inside there a picture of their family happy and smiling outside of church one morning when she was 8. She stares at the herb attached to the other side of it and looks up at her father. She smiles and with that smile he knows she's forgiven him.

"Wear it for safe keeping. For luck." He says as he's finally able to breathe normally.

"I will, Dad." She keeps looking at it and notices a familiar smell. "Is that herb the same scent as the perfume you gave me?"

He smiles, proud of himself. "Yes it is." He says as they start calling the other army nurses on the train and his face falls. "I should have gotten here sooner."

"It's okay. Don't beat yourself up about it." She smiles hesitantly and goes to hug him. "Thank you." She whispers. The water in her eyes starts welling up and he holds onto her tightly. Her tears are now staining his coat.

"I love you little one. Be safe." He says firmly, as if he's commanding her to be safe out there. It's the last call for everyone as he releases her and helps her with her bags to the train.

Caroline steps on and finds her seat next to a tall and thin raven-haired girl who is waving goodbye to one of her loved ones. She looks out the window of the train and spots her dad whose face is red, and cheeks are puffed out as if he's holding in a sob. And then the train starts moving, and she's waving goodbye, not only to her family, but to her life as she knew it.

* * *

Caroline sits in the back of a truck with eleven other girls who have all had much more experience than she has. She looks at the confidence that each of them holds but she also sees the fear. There is one, Miss Elena Gilbert who sits tall on the right. At first glance she seems intimidating but if you get a closer look you see the panic in her eyes and you see that she is just like every other girl out here. Elena has become Caroline's confidant in the last two weeks since they met on the train that day. They have grown close and they both admire each other's healing abilities greatly.

It's dawn and they are being transferred to a base in France. It's nearing fall and there is a cool chill to the air that makes Caroline uneasy. The truck comes to an abrupt stop and the tarps open up to show two soldiers standing in front of the tents that will soon become their infirmary. All of the women jump out of the truck with the help of the soldiers. They all begin their walk to the tents.

Caroline is the last of the women to exit the truck. She looks to the man on the left who is smirking at her in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable. He offers her his palm and she, of course, scoffs and ignores it. She tries to jump out on her own but nearly falls and before she knows it she's gripping onto the man's stone cold hands. His other hand goes to her shoulder to steady her.

"Are you all right, Love?" He asks in his eloquent British accent.

She speaks quietly from embarrassment. "Yes. I'm fine, thank you." She looks up at him and is taken aback for just a moment. She's not sure if it's because he is strikingly handsome or if it's the hunger she notices in his eyes. The danger. She clears her throat and pulls her arm away from his grasp abruptly. "I'm fine." She reiterates. Caroline quickly walks away trailing after Elena once she catches up. She slowly turns around to find the soldier looking after her with a hard stare.

"Are you okay? Sorry for not waiting. They forced me to keep moving." Caroline is startled by Elena's voice and looks at the girl walking beside her.

She smiles slowly. "I'm fine." She feels as if it's a lie she'll be repeating for months as she's about to embark on this new journey. Curious, she looks back once more and searches for the soldier who is no longer in sight. _Maybe it's just an army thing. _She tells herself. And as much as she wants to believe it, she can't shake the part of her that believes that the danger out here is far worse than she thought.

* * *

**a/n: This is actually a fic I've been working on since August. I know it's short but it's only the first chapter! Forgive me. So tell me what you thought! Leave a review if you can. Constructive criticism is always welcome :) I have quite a few things planned for this. Follow me on tumblr :) Sweettemptation92**


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: Thank you guys for the great response and thank you to every one of you who reviewed! I linked a picture of the necklace Caroline's dad gave her on my profile in case some of you wanted to see it! This one is for my girl Kirsten (dockfangirl) whom I fangirl with everyday. We kill each other with feels. She's the Damon to my Alaric. :) **

The man screams as she pours the alcohol on his arm. He's loud enough to wake the entire base and she soothes him as she begins to wrap up his burn. He has just been caught on the edges of a grenade bomb and just misses getting blown to bits. His name is Matt and he explains the fear that he felt just before he thought his life was ending. He cries softly as he speaks to Caroline, careful to keep his tears hidden from his fellow soldiers.

"I enlisted because I wasn't afraid to die." He whispers through his tears. "I was ready to die for our country. But now," He breathes deeply as he pauses. "I can't remember why I ever thought that in the first place."

She finishes wrapping his arm and lets her hand linger there. "You're strong. Stronger than you can imagine. Either way you're a hero." She sees his face relax and the tears have dried and she softly smiles at him.

"You have a beautiful smile Miss Forbes." She almost rolls her eyes at the compliment but instead smiles and looks over at Elena who is watching with a playful smile from three beds away. Caroline pats his arm and tells him to get some rest before she heads over to Elena.

"You have an admirer." Elena says quietly as she changes the clothes on a man. He moved at her every touch, he looked exhausted, groggy, weak and Caroline frowned as she saw the condition he was in.

"The morphine is apparently too strong for him." Caroline says, making sure he can't hear. "Are you ready for the night shift?" Caroline asks, trying to stir the conversation away from her.

"No, not here in France." Elena says nonchalantly, keeping her eyes strained on the patient below her. "Don't you worry, Caroline." She tried to protest when Elena paused. "Don't. You just go back to the tents and get your rest. Tomorrow is a new day." Elena finally looks up and sheepishly smiles at the blonde in front of her.

Caroline hesitates for just a moment, but the exhaustion her body feels causes her to back up. She thinks of sleep and how nice it must be in a real bed instead of the cot she's been sleeping on for weeks now. But she settles for her cot because her eyes are drooping as she's walking to the tent not far from the tent for the wounded.

It is then when she sees him standing outside one of the tents as a guard. She almost misses him in her state of tiredness. Almost. Her mysterious soldier from before.

She stands up straighter now and walks with what she hopes is more confidence. She only glances once, maybe twice to see if he's watching. He is. She can't see the emotion in his face due to the lack of light but somehow she knows it isn't as different as it was before. Dangerous, mysterious. When she remembers the look in his eyes she speeds up her pace. She can see the nurses tent in front of her. It's so close but it couldn't be more far away. She glances back once more to find that he's switching with another man there. He's tall, but not quite as tall, he is muscular but he looks gentle and she relaxes as she finally reaches the tent and steps into her cot for the rest that she has been longing for.

It soon becomes the night she never gets through. Tossing and turning on the uncomfortable surface. Restless nights had been no stranger to her these past few weeks. Audible cries had tortured her thoughts every night since joined. She hears the screaming, the painful cries and cringes. She shuts her eyes tight, trying her best to block them out just for one night.

Caroline sits up and looks to the cot next to her where Elena would be sleeping if she didn't have the night shift. She wonders how much time has passed, how much time she spent cursing the night for not allowing her to fall asleep once again. The girl across from her is snoring loudly and Caroline envies her ability to sleep in the madness.

She sighs deeply and throws her blanket away from her, baring her skin for the chill air of the night. She steps into her shoes and wears her coat as she makes her way out of the tent. She pushes open the tent and sees some of the soldiers standing guard around each tent. Even though this goes against protocol, she can't bring her exhausted self to care enough so she decides to take a walk figuring that if no one sees her she should be fine.

She walks slowly around the tent and pretends as if she's walking back to help the injured people but instead, when no one's looking, she turns to the right instead of going straight. She finds herself between two tents and finds that she's just walking around in circles. There isn't much elsewhere she can go. When she makes another turn she runs into a hard figure. Her forehead hitting the man's cheekbone.

"Oh." She says surprised as she rubs her forehead. When she removes her hand she sees that the figure she just ran into happened to be the mysterious soldier. Her encounters with him had been humiliating all day.

"Hello again, Love." He says as he rubs his cheek with his free hand. The other holds his gun. He stares at her baffled face, her mouth slightly agape and he smirks. "You shouldn't be out this late. Not unless you're working in the infirmary tent. But I'm afraid by the looks of it, you're defying basic protocol." He watches her throat bob as she swallows and looks to the ground.

"I needed some fresh air." Caroline says lamely. She is all too aware of his hard stare. He makes no attempts at hiding the fact that he's searching for her eyes each time she looks away.

He nods understandably. "It's not safe, but something tells me you don't care." She stares at him with a wary look in her eyes waiting for him to continue. "Make no mistake, sweetheart. You should be _very_ afraid." His tone turns dark and menacing. His voice holds a husky tone as he speaks. She went from finding it fearful and enticing, to finding it laughable.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "With all of the big strong men out here, what reason do I have to be afraid?" She says with a caustic tone as she tries to sidestep him. He moves in front of her and chuckles.

He smirks, actually finding her mockery amusing. "Quite disparaging there aren't we?"

She whispers a meek and quiet "Excuse me." As she tries to sidestep him again and this time he lets her. He turns to look at her as she walks away and she can feel his stare burning holes into the back of her head. She turns around and watches him swing his gun around his back as he runs to catch up. Caroline turns to her front and ignores him.

"Why don't you allow me to walk you back?" When he receives no answer he decides to continue. "We wouldn't want you to have another run in with someone other than me. They might not be as understanding as I am." She scoffs, and embarrassingly trips and loses her balance. He catches her arm to steady her. "Or perhaps I should just walk with you to ensure that you don't fall. You seem to be quite the clumsy one."

Caroline begins to imagine all the ways she wants to die right now to escape this moment. He only laughs as she clears her throat. "Well if you insist." She whispers, crossing her arms figuring that if she were to say or do anything else she might humiliate herself further. She had embarrassed herself far too much today. She notices that he has yet to remove his arm from her elbow. He guides her to the nurse's tent. She hadn't noticed how far away she was until he walked her back.

"Caroline!" She hears Elena's voice call her name. She almost ignores Elena for the sole reason of not wanting the soldier to know her name but decided against it. She stops and turns to her friend. His arm slowly grazes down hers before he pulls it away once he reaches her wrist. He doesn't miss the way her breath hitches. His hand is still hovering next to hers as Elena catches up. "My shift just ended." Elena says as she eyes the man next to her friend. "Were you having trouble sleeping again?" Elena asks worriedly.

Caroline nods and ignores the raised eyebrows Elena throws at her. The silence is broken when he speaks up. "It appears you have some sleep to catch up on." He faces Caroline as his index finger outstretches to reach her hand. His fingers wrap around hers as he lifts her hand to his lips. "Good night, Caroline." He places a soft kiss to her knuckles and suddenly she is no longer cold as the heat rushes up her arms and to her cheeks. He smiles at both girls. A smile that appears so innocent because of his dimples. If you weren't paying close attention, you wouldn't notice that the look behind his eyes is everything but innocent.

Caroline was paying close attention.

* * *

"You're really not going to tell me your mysterious soldier's name?" Elena asked as they dressed for their shifts today.

Caroline sighed. "I don't know it." She had tried to explain this all morning but her friend hadn't believed her. "Everything about him tells me he's dangerous anyway. I won't be speaking to him for the remainder of our time here anyway."

"I think he's charming." Elena shrugs as she puts on her shoes and Caroline scoffs.

They make their way towards the tent where the screams are much louder today. They watch as men are carried in one by one. The other nurses are scrambling to help and one runs to their sleeping tent to call the others.

"What happened?" Caroline shouted after her but she kept running trying to rally up all of the nurses to go help. Caroline and Elena rushed to the tent and saw the depression inside. There were cries of pain and many of the men shouted.

One other nurse is now walking next to them as she carries gauze in her hands and speaks, "The allies were crossing the English channel to invade the beaches of Normandy. They're bringing in the injured."

Caroline and Elena both immediately get to work helping everyone around them. It's crowded and she feels as if she can't breathe, she can't see. She just does. She doesn't think as she rushes to help as many injured soldiers as she can.

She holds in her tears as she witnesses the chaos before her. She has always been aware of the tragic events that happen in war but this has been the first time a tragedy this large has occurred since her arrival. She touches her necklace subconsciously and replays her father's words. _For safe keeping. For luck. _She prays that her necklace brings not just her, but the soldiers luck to make it out of this war alive.

One man grabs her wrist as she walks past him. "Please." He whispers. She leans closer to him to inspect his wounds. He points to his chest which is covered by gauze and other fabrics. She lifts it slightly and gasps.

"Oh my god." She whispers. He has deep gaping scratches all along his chest. In most places, his skin has been completely ripped off.

In cases like these, not many know what to do. She wondered why he had been ignored and she now knows. They probably thought he was a lost cause and she's disgusted at this fact. The least a person could do is try and make him comfortable. He winces as she removes the fabric completely. She grabs clean gauze to wrap around his body. The man winces at each touch.

His eyes droop shut as she finishes. He whispers, "Thank you." He can barely choke it out but she understands what he's trying to say. She begins to clean up the minor wounds on his arms.

She lingers longer than she should, staring at the man lying beneath her. Her eyebrows furrow and she shakes her head dismissing her thoughts.

When she turns to go help the others she spots Matt who has now been moved to another cot across the room. He is wincing and shouting at the nurses for being too rough. She makes her way over to him and tells the nurse working on him that she'll take over.

He opens his eyes and smiles as he sees her. "Miss Forbes, the nurse with the beautiful smile." She rolls her eyes and eyes his new wounds. She furrows her brows.

"Why are these fresh? What on earth were you even doing out there?" She asks. The creases in his forehead tell her that he doesn't understand. "You were supposed to be resting in here from your wounds yesterday. How did you-" She trails off not understanding how he had ever been involved in the invasion.

"I was here all night." Matt says sounding sure of himself.

"Then where did these come from?" She points to the scratches on his face as another nurse bumps into his waste next to him. She apologizes frantically as he cringes and shoos her off. Caroline raises her eyebrows and lifts his shirt to see that there are more wounds on the side of his waist.

They are large, gaping scratches similar to the other man but not quite as serious. She couldn't have missed these yesterday. It was impossible to miss these. She shakes her head slowly, confused more than ever. She starts to clean the blood surrounding the scratch as Matt grimaces and shuts his eyes tight.

" No. No. No." She whispers to herself repeatedly. She swallows deeply as she runs through the possibilities. Elena begins to tend to another man's wounds next to Matt.

"This is a catastrophe." Elena whispers. "What weapons were used on some of these men?" She looks at Caroline who is still shaking her head.

"Caroline. Some of these injuries," She pauses and looks at the wound on Matt. "Injuries like his, they don't even look like gun wounds."

A doctor walks over to the man Elena is helping. He holds his hand against his wrist and looks at Elena and shakes his head with a solemn look. Elena nods and covers him with a dark green blanket.

Caroline looks up at Elena who is staring at her with a scared, confused look. Her eyes move across the room where she spots the soldier from last night. He is watching everything around him with a blank stare as another man leans into his ear to speak. He sees Caroline across the room and doesn't remove his eyes from hers. It's as if he's trying to hold eye contact with her for as long as he can. It takes almost everything she can to pull her eyes away from his and back to Elena, though she can feel his gaze on her as she watches her friend.

Caroline looks back down at Matt who appears to be trying his hardest to not scream as she cleans his wounds. She momentarily stops cleaning and stares at his wound. When she looks back up at Elena she opens her mouth as her brain tries to form words.

"Elena," she whispers, "These aren't gun wounds and they aren't knife wounds either." She pulls her deep stare away from the man lying lifeless beneath her friend. "This is an animal attack."

**a/n: This is actually one of my favorite chapters to write so I hope you guys liked it. I hope it didn't seem forced because I was just itching to get to the parts I was excited to write. Please review! Whether it is good or bad. I enjoy constructive criticism and honesty. :)**

**Follow me on tumblr! Sweettemptation92**

**I also got nominated for nicest blog for the klaroline awards on tumblr. It'd be cool if you guys with tumblr voted :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n: I planned to have had this out earlier but I've been busy with personal matters and I've been away from my laptop. Sorry guys! Hope you like this one :)**

"An animal attack?" Elena whispers urgently. "What kind? A bear? A wolf?" She looks at the scared look on the blondes face. "Why would any animals be out here? You would think that they'd be scared away with all of the people, the loud noises."

Caroline just shakes her head with a frightened look. "I… I could be wrong." She says immediately regretting her decision to tell Elena in the first place. The girl had too many questions that she couldn't answer.

"No Caroline." Elena starts as she looks at the few soldiers with deep wounds. She's shaking her head as she looks around and Caroline shuts her eyes. "Look at these injuries. You're right. It looks like an animal." Caroline continues to shake her head. "Caroline, we have to tell someone. We have to warn them!" Elena says worriedly. The girl was beginning to panic and Caroline didn't know what to say to calm her down.

She had been too involved in the conversation to notice that the soldier is no longer across the room but making his way towards her. Unknowingly, she gulps and Elena turns and follows her eyes.

"You." Elena says as she points at him. She steps closer to him and waves her arms at the people around her. "Look at these wounds-"

"Elena!" Caroline whispers loudly with a demanding tone. Her voice almost sounds fearful. When Elena turns to look at her she just shakes her head lightly bringing a confused look to her friends face. Caroline turns to the man and smiles sheepishly. "She's just overwhelmed."

He raises his eyebrows. "It appears so." He has a knowing look on his face that scares her.

Instead of conversing with him she turns away from him and continues to clean Matt's wounds. Matt who has kept his eyes shut and been politely minding his own business. The searing pain on his side helped him block out all thoughts anyway.

The soldier sighs and steps closer to her. "It's horrible isn't it?" He whispers behind her.

He's a respectable distance away but her skin still crawls and the goose bumps appear due to his proximity. How she's able to remain calm, she doesn't know. "You don't seem too fazed."

"These are my _brothers_." He says with emphasis on the word "brothers." Too much emphasis that it ends up sounding insincere. "Of course I'm fazed." She turns around to him quickly then and it catches him off guard causing him to gasp slightly that she almost doesn't notice it.

Almost.

"Listen. I'm trying to work here so unless you have any injuries I think it's best that you leave." Caroline glares at his amused look and the way his lips slightly curve up. He glances down at Matt and back to her. "Now." She presses.

"As you wish, Caroline." He folds his hands behind his back and withdraws as he slowly backs away.

The second he leaves she feels something hit her head. She turns around and looks at the roll of bandages on the ground and glares at Elena who is staring at her as if she were crazy.

"It's as if you're trying to make him hate you. What has the man ever done to you?" Elena says annoyed.

Shaking her head she whispers to her friend. "He's a distraction Elena. I don't trust him."

"He's been nothing but nice to you. At least allow him to introduce me to his friend." Elena says as she eyes the man who he was standing with earlier.

She sighs and shakes her head. "There's no time for that. We're here to save lives." She finishes cleaning Matt's wounds as he begins to open his eyes.

She thinks back to yesterday when he had stopped her from falling out of the truck, and when he was nice enough to not turn her in for breaking rules last night. She looks down and swallows thinking that maybe she had been too cruel. As Elena had said, he was being nothing but nice to her. Even if there was something about him that she didn't trust. She clears her throat and pushes her thoughts away. "Besides, I don't even know his name."

"Well-" Elena starts but Caroline waves her hand stopping her.

"No matter." Caroline scrunches her brows. "You can't tell anyone Elena, about the animals. I don't know if I'm right. I wouldn't want to cause a scare for no reason." She finishes bandaging up the wounds and turns back to Elena.

The look on Elena's face tells Caroline that she doesn't believe her, but she understands enough to keep quiet and she knows that she can trust her.

Her mother and father had told her stories of animal attacks similar to these in the woods of her hometown. She had been familiar with them. It was always a bear or a wolf but when she was younger, she had believed it to be a monster. Only a monster could cause the devastation that she had witnessed.

Her parents had tried so hard to keep her away from it.

Her father who was working with the police department had brought home his case files. At seven, she was so young and innocent that she didn't know any better when she walked into his study one night. He had fallen asleep at his desk and she nudged him a few times but he always slept like the dead.

When she nudged him his elbow moved revealing some of the black and white photos. She grabbed them and saw the injuries of those who were attacked and screamed at the sight.

So yes, they had tried to keep it away from her but often bringing their work home with them to their curious daughter made it impossible to hide anything.

It's those very same photos that she can't stop thinking about ever since these injuries came flooding in.

They had been almost identical and it seemed frightening to her. The wounds deep and gashing, almost as if they were clawed in. Clawed in by some kind of bear so it was easy to believe it was an animal. Her parents had always told her they were animals because that's what everyone believed.

But as a child, you see animals as soft, friendly, huggable. So when she saw those photographs when she was seven, she swore it was a monster.

A monster, because what else would a child think it was? A child's biggest fears are the monsters that live under their bed. So who is to stop them from believing a said animal attack is actually a monster attack?

"Excuse me." A voice says behind her, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turns around to see a man talking to Elena and she recognizes him as the irritating soldier's friend. He has gentle eyes and a soft smile that causes Elena's cheeks to flush bright red. "My name is Stefan Salvatore. I was wondering if you could assist me." He stands up straight and steps back. By the way he stood you could really tell that he was part of the army. Respectable and obedient.

"Is there a problem?" She asks worriedly.

He looks down and then glances over at Caroline. "It's my friend. He seems to be ill and he can't pull himself out of bed. I was wondering if you would come check on him." Stefan asks quietly.

Elena looks back and Caroline who is shaking her head furiously. If he is a friend of that soldier's then he could be just as dangerous, despite his soft eyes that tell her to trust him. Elena's eyes widen and she shakes her head in disbelief at her friend. "I'll be back soon." She whispers as she follows Stefan out of the tent.

"You don't trust people easily, do you?" She whips around to Matt who is smiling up at her. She tilts her head with a confused look. "First there was Mikaelson, who you had brushed off so rudely." He teases. She assumes that Mikaelson is the name of her soldier. When had she started calling him "her soldier?" She mentally curses Elena for putting the idea in her head.

"I was trying to help you so that was fair." She shrugs.

He agrees and then turns to look at Stefan and Elena who had just exited the tent. "And then there was Salvatore, who actually happens to be a nice fellow. I'm positive he saw you shaking your head at your friend. "

She looks down guiltily. "So something tells me you don't trust anyone."

She sighs and shakes her head. "Not out here."

He furrows his eyebrows at her. "Why?"

She shrugs and checks his temperature. "There's something about this place that makes me feel unsafe."

He raises a brow at her. "Well you happen to be in a warzone."

She laughs and shakes her head. "I'm aware. I just have an eerie feeling about this particular place. It's different than the others."

He nods. "That's understandable." He looks next to him and sees a man getting dressed in his uniform getting ready to leave. "So how long do you think I'll be bedridden?"

She frowns and glances down at his new injury again. "If you asked me yesterday, I would have told you that you'd be as good as new by tomorrow. Now I'm not quite sure. I'll send one of the doctors over to you later. For now I'm just focused on making you feel comfortable."

He smiles at her and grabs her hand. "Thank you for being so kind." He squeezes her hand and she smiles politely at him.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." She freezes at his condescending voice and rolls her eyes.

"Mikaelson." Matt says as he nods at him behind her shoulder.

"Donovan." He replies but not as polite as he probably should have. He almost spits his name out with distaste.

Caroline lets go of Matt's hand and turns around to face him. She sees a flash of his anger before he quickly hides it and she narrows her eyebrows. "What is it now?"

"I'm in need of some nursing." He says as he lifts his bloodied had to her. She flinches at the first sight of the blood. "And you are a nurse."

She looks at the wound and sighs. "Fine." She walks away to an empty bed across the way and he follows compliantly.

She sits him down at the bed and turns to the alcohol on the stand next to her. When she turns back around to look down at his wound it is almost as if it has grown deeper, bloodier. She squints at it and then shakes her head. "How did this even happen?"

"Us men being rowdy. Practicing with our knives." He shrugs and looks up at her confused face. "Believe it or not it happens quite frequently." He cringes at the sting of the alcohol on his hand, struggling to keep from balling it into a fist.

She nods and looks at the deep cut after all of the blood has been cleaned and grabs the bandage behind her. When she looks at the wound again, it makes her queasy. The blood is still spilling out of his palm and she gulps.

"That must have been one deep cut." She holds his fingers gently, ignoring the way the contact sends a rush through her palms, as she begins to wrap the bandages.

"I never properly introduced myself, Caroline…" He trails leaving his sentence hanging as he waits for her answer.

"Forbes." She says quietly. Her gaze moves from his hand and up to his eyes. It was the first time she really noticed the deep blue in his eyes. "Caroline Forbes."

He stares into hers and smiles baring his dimples. "Niklaus Mikaelson." His voice turns dark again the same way it did last night when he told her to be afraid of what was out here. "But you can call me Klaus."

She realizes that she has been staring for too long, but he hasn't turned away either. Her mouth has been hanging slightly open and she smiles softly at him and looks down as she finishes wrapping the bandage. Hearing him clear his throat she looks back up at him. His face shows nothing but shock and his mouth is hanging slightly open and his eyes are far kinder than they had been before. But she doesn't miss the subtle shake of his head as he closes his eyes and opens them up again revealing the sinister twinkle he had in his eyes last night.

"All right." He says as he pulls his hand away, balling it into a fist. The deep blue of his eyes find hers and she steps back but he grabs her wrist with his other hand. "What do you know?" He asks as he stares deeply into her eyes. It's a probing look that makes her feel uncomfortable. She tries to pull away but his grip on her wrist tightens.

"I don't know anything." She whispers breathlessly. The tone in her voice turns shaky the more intimidated she gets.

His eyes narrow as he moves closer. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not." She says shakily. "Klaus, let go." She finds her courage again and begins glaring at him.

The tight grip he has on her wrist begins to loosen as he exhales a frustrating sigh with an equally frustrating look on his face. He stands up and walks away quickly.

Caroline exhales a sigh of relief as she looks around to see if anyone had noticed and evidently, they had not, seeing as they are all still going about their business. She faces the back of the room and raises her hand to her neck. Pulling the necklace her father gave her from behind her uniform she grips it tightly and closes her eyes.

With her eyes closed, the images of the photos come to mind. She saw the wounds, she knew but she didn't want to be right. A tear slides down her cheek as she regrets her decision to come out here. Her suspicions had been correct even though she so badly wanted to be wrong.

The stories she had been told, the warnings from her parents all came rushing back. She looks down at her necklace and silently thanks her father.

She whispers quietly hoping that he is far enough away to not hear her. "Vampire."

**a/n: Again I'm really sorry I couldn't have this out sooner. Please don't hate me. Review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. :)**

**Follow me on tumblr! Sweettemptation92**


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: I promise you guys I'm not abandoning this story. It just started and I have so many places I'm taking this! I only have 6 chapters written out so far but I haven't had much time to edit or post because I've been away from my laptop. Things have been hard and I've just been spending some needed time with family so I'm sorry for the lack of updates.**

**I hope you enjoy this one :)**

She's been walking in fear for a week now counting down the days till her imminent death. But there has been no sign of him since the day he tried to compel her. He has to know. He just had to know that she knew. Or at least know that she knew something. His compulsion didn't work on her and the only plausible explanation was that she was in possession of vervaine.

She thinks back to that day and how it all started. A week was how long he made it. That first man who asked for her help when she realized the attacks weren't just war related had only lived for another week. She made him as comfortable as he could and for as long as he was conscious he thanked her for being one of the few helpful nurses.

He was the one that made her regret signing up for this. After he had passed in his sleep she felt that she wasn't cut out for this. It lasted only a moment though as she heard her name being cried from across the room and her natural reflexes brought her back to reality as she rushed over to the voice.

Helping others had always been instinctual. It was as if she was born to heal. Every bone in her body told her to help anyone who needed it.

She'd been healing people left and right, watched men go back out into the dangerous warfare, worried for their safety as she worried for her own.

She was worried for both hers and Elena's safety even though Elena had been intent on pestering her about Klaus. She wasn't sure why she had told her his name. Or how it slipped off of her tongue so easily. So naturally. She ignored Elena's incessant nudges and reminded herself of the man that he was.

Caroline kept her eyes alert all throughout the week and she often wondered that maybe he had just been skilled at hiding. He was a vampire after all.

But it was almost as if he left. There hadn't been any sightings of him at all. Elena hadn't even seen him. In fact the only person she had seen was Stefan. Stefan Salvatore, who she assumed was a vampire as well.

He'd been keeping a close eye on her all week. But he didn't worry her much. Unlike Klaus, his eyes didn't hold the natural dangerous gleam in his eyes. Stefan's eyes were soft, almost brooding. Eyes of a vampire that could disguise the true vicious characteristics hidden behind them. Yet for Klaus, it was the eyes that gave him away, the deception came from his smile. His dimpled cheeks and innocent smile could fool anyone.

She could feel Stefan's presence almost everywhere she went and when she looked up, there he was. Glancing at her as he talked to Elena, watching her from across the fields, always keeping an eye on her. She wondered too why he hadn't done anything to frighten her or get rid of her. Maybe Klaus had wanted to wait to do it himself. Or maybe they just didn't know that she knew. But they couldn't be that dense, could they? No. Why else would they be watching her so intently?

She thought back to that day he had tried to compel her. What she didn't understand then was what was happening with Elena. She could have been easily left out but he had wanted her alone. He didn't want any distractions for what he was planning on doing. So he got his "friend" to compel her to leave with him.

As she had feared, Elena had returned that day not remembering where she had gone. He had compelled her. Unlike Caroline, she wasn't wearing any vervaine.

That was something she was set on changing. She sat on her bottom bunk and looked at the locket that she had stolen from under her pillow the night before.

Caroline grabbed her locket that was hiding beneath her uniform and opens it slightly removing a piece of the vervaine from her necklace. She's careful not to crush it between her fingers.

When she opens Elena's locket she places the small piece of vervaine behind the photograph in her locket that causes a small raise in the picture. The picture is of Elena's mother and on the right side there is one of her father. They had tragically passed away in a car accident the year prior to Elena getting her nursing degree.

She traced her finger around the edges of the locket. Maybe she was putting Elena in danger by doing this. If they found out that she had vervaine as well and couldn't be compelled who knows what they would do. She couldn't risk it though. If she could be compelled they could be doing anything to her.

They just had to elude attention for one day. Just one more day and they would be free from this camp. Away from the monsters she knew as vampires.

There was a spreading disease over at a nearby camp and they needed nurses to volunteer to go over and help. Naturally, Elena and Caroline had both signed up. She didn't know how long they'd be there but it didn't matter as long as they were away from Klaus and Stefan long enough for her to compose a plan. She wasn't going to sit around and wait for her death or for her friend to be put into danger.

Just when she closed the locket she heard footsteps dragging along the dirt outside of the tent and shuffled, panicking as she put Elena's locket back under her pillow. She frantically hid her necklace back behind her uniform.

"Why aren't you asleep?" She hears Elena's voice ask behind her. Caroline turned around and smiled at her friend. "You have the nightshift until we leave don't you?"

Caroline nods and smiles innocently. "Slow day?"

"Yes." She sighs. "I forgot my locket as well." She reaches under her pillow and holds it in her palm closing her fist.

Caroline glances at her other hand and sees the white envelope in her hand. She points to the envelope and doesn't remove her eyes from it as she whispers, "What is that?" Her voice almost breaks even though she is whispering.

"Letters from home." Elena whispers, her voice just as shaky.

She stood up from the bed immediately and walked towards the opening in the tent but stopped abruptly remembering why she hadn't been sleeping in the first place.

"Elena, do you need me to put on your necklace?" She asked with a certain firmness in her voice.

Elena looked at her closed fist and opened it, letting the necklace hang from her fingers as she held it out to her friend. "Please." She walked back over and clipped the necklace around her neck. "Thank you." Elena said as Caroline breathes a sigh of relief as she turned to walk to receive her letters.

"Forbes, Caroline." She said as she reached the main tent.

"I'm sorry. We haven't gotten any by that name."

She stared at the man standing up across from her and blinked a few times. There was a small sink in her heart as she looked at all of the letters they were handling. "Could you check again?"

He looked at her desperate eyes and acquiesced going back to search again.

She watched him search frantically in every box. She gulped as she realized he wasn't finding it. Her eyes bored into the dirt on the ground when she felt a looming presence that made her skin crawl. Shutting her eyes, forcing back the tears, her eyes turn dark as she looks to her left at the vampire who'd been staring at her from across the room. He stood with his arms behind his back. His face almost soft as he noticed the tears she was holding back.

"Did you say Forbes?" Another man asked. The one looking for her letter nodded to him. "I handed it out just a few moments ago."

Caroline's head whipped back to the two and furrowed her eyebrows. "What? To who?" She asked even though she knew that there was only one person who would have taken it.

"Sergeant Mikaelson." The man looked next to her and she kept her eyes trained on the board behind them, ignoring the body that just moved next to her. Her body stilled as she shut her eyes.

He reached out and laid the envelope on the table in front of her, waiting for her to open her eyes.

Her eyes stayed closed as she reached for the letter. She opened them and mouthed a thank you to the man who helped her and he nodded with a small smile. Turning on her heels, she stood up straight and sighed as she began to walk away.

"I had every intention of handing that to you later, Miss Forbes." He said as he followed her out the tent.

She tried to remain her composure, hiding the fact that she was scared of his mere presence. It was easier when he was gone.

"As some sort of an apology for losing my temper." He continues as she quickens her steps. Klaus clears his throat as she continues to ignore him. "I didn't mean to trouble you." He was referring to the tears he saw that glazed her crystal blue eyes. Klaus was never a man who apologized but there was something about the way she held herself when she was trying not to cry that made him remain calm and kind with her.

She reached the nurses tent and grabbed the tarp opening it up. He began to follow her in there but she spun around quickly facing him with a glare. "I'd like to read these alone, Sergeant Mikaelson."

He closed his mouth and nodded folding his hands behind his back. So conventionally proper. "By all means." He says quietly and turns to walk away.

She exhales deeply and lifts up her envelope shakily as she tears it open making her way to her bunk.

Frantically she pulls the letter out as she sits, letting the tears fall before she even reads the first words.

_July 15, 1944_

_My sweet Caroline,_

_ We've been so worried about you and the time that you've spent out there. We're hoping that the sights are not too unbearable. That you're able to help those poor brave men like you helped the citizens of our town. Mary Brothers, from across town, stopped by home a few days after your leave. She was nearly in tears because she finally left that wretched husband of hers and she came to ask us to thank you for her. You've helped so many people here at home that I still don't understand why you needed to leave. Your father and I have been hard at work with the council at home. If there's one good thing about you going off to war, it's that you never have to face the monsters we face at home. Stay safe._

_We hope you write as soon as possible. Love, Mother and Father_

She pats the tear that has fallen onto the paper with her sleeve and clears her throat as she re-reads the line that haunts her most. "_If there's one good thing about you going off to war, it's that you never have to face the monsters we face at home."_ She shakes her head and scoffs. For once her mother had been right. Maybe she should have stayed home and never volunteered in the first place.

Caroline folds the letter and places it in her trunk. She takes an onion skin paper out of her possessions and begins writing her letter home. She dates it "August 3, 1944" and tells them to write more often, to keep her informed on Mary Brother's health, and to pray for those out here. She decides to leave out the information on her latest discovery of vampires, not wanting them to worry any further. Sending her love, she walks back to the tent where they're ready to send out the V-Mail.

She quickly walks back to the tent, wanting to avoid any further conversation with anyone else. More specifically, the vampire. Her only wish as of now is to sleep, though she doesn't know if she can, now that he is back wandering the camps.

When she walks into her tent she finds him there, sitting on the edge of her bunk.

"What are you doing here?" She spits and clamps her mouth shut as soon as the words come out.

He chuckles and stands up. "I hope you haven't forgotten my name already." She stares at him, careful not to say anything that may anger him. "Why don't you have a seat?" He says as he waves his arm towards her cot.

She steps closer to him and steps in between her cot and Elena's cot right in front of him. She hadn't realized how close their beds were until now as she held her breath careful not to bump her chest against his. Looking down at the dirt as she passes him. "Whatever you want, I already told you I don't know anything."

"Have a seat Caroline." He smiles the angelic smile that she only sees as devilish and watches her as she sits and follows suit, leaving a respectable distance between them.

The moment is silent as she avoids his stare. Her heartbeat quickens as she fears for her life.

_No._ Caroline thinks. _You will not be afraid._ She tells herself as she evens her breathing and her heartbeat slows down. He smirks at her and she can hear the small exhale coming from his lips as he laughs. She swallows and turns to face him. "I noticed that you were missing."

"Well, I happen to be a Staff Sergeant." She raises her eyebrow at this. "I was leading my section."

"Without Stefan Salvatore?" She asks judgingly.

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "You're very knowledgeable Caroline."

"I pay attention." She can't fight the smile that forces its way onto her lips. He realizes then that it is the first time he has really seen her smile.

She decides to play along and act innocent as if she doesn't know what he is, hoping that maybe he will believe her. "Is your wound healed up?" She asks as she looks at his hand that is still wrapped in the bandage but is a little darker and dirtier. She also spots the red on it that she assumes is blood and swallows. "You should probably get a new bandage if it isn't."

He narrows his eyes and stares for a few seconds before responding. "I'll be sure to get a new one later." Klaus looks down at his hand and back up at her. "I might even be as good as new." He says slowly. "Would you mind checking for me?"

"Oh no no." She says quickly, waving her hands. She knows what he's doing. Knows that he's waiting for her reactions, reading her expressions, trying to see if she really doesn't know anything. "It might be best if you go to one of the other nurses."

"But why would I, when my favorite is sitting right here in front of me?" He turns his body to face hers. Caroline looks at him with a frown as she blinks and narrows her eyes. Her mouth slightly curves up again as he teases her.

"You know, I really should be resting." Her hands grab tightly onto the blanket beneath her.

"I should too, but some of us aren't as fortunate as you Caroline. We don't get beds such as these. Some of us are left to sleep on the dirt."

She laughs and pats her bed. "I would hardly call it a bed. It might be the most uncomfortable cot I've ever slept on."

He smiles and the threatening gleam that usually plays across his eyes is gone and replaced with gentleness. "It beats what I sleep on."

"Are you sure you do much of sleeping?" She asks and then she realizes what she has just said. Trying her best to remain calm, she laughs cautiously and stares at the way his eyes lose that touch of gentleness.

He glances at her neck seeing a small piece of the chain of her necklace popping out and Caroline's neck suddenly feels hot. "I just mean," she starts as his fingers reach slowly to her neck. Her body grows tense as the heat of his fingers moving to her neck becomes hotter with every second. She sits tall and raises her head closing her eyes. "I just mean that, you're always out at night." He tapped the chain around her neck and his finger wrapped loosely around it as he pulled it out from behind her uniform slowly. "I-"

"What is this?" He asks, as his tone loses that lightness as he holds the pendant in between his fingertips. He's waiting for her answer patiently as he stares at it.

She stutters as she speaks and looks up at him. "It-It was a gift." She says. Her voice unsteady.

"A gift? It's very," he pauses to look up at her, all emotion hidden in his eyes. "beautiful." He finishes.

"Yes. My father gave it to me." Raising her hand to grab the necklace back. "For good luck."

He catches her wrist before she grabs it and the necklace falls to her chest.

His shoulders drop and he lowers her hand. "You'll need it." Klaus stares at the spark of confusion that runs across her face and then her features soften and her wrist relaxes on her knee that is resting on the bed. He subconsciously traces his thumb in circles along the vein on her wrist.

It's new, foreign to her, but somehow still familiar. It was almost as if she felt she would grow accustomed to these random acts. One moment, she'll fear for her life, and then next he'll have the ability to make her relax just with his soft touch. The looks that they shared were so very different from looks she had shared with Tyler or anyone before him. They hid fear, caution, and tenderness. But they also hid secrets. The secret that they both knew, but were unwilling to admit. He knew that she knew but he kept quiet for a reason he could not explain.

He clears his throat, letting go of her wrist and stands up. "Have a nice rest, Caroline." He says as he turns to walk away.

"Klaus," She says, finally willing to use his first name. "I am leaving tomorrow." Why she told him, she didn't know. It was as if she felt compelled to do so, but she knew that wasn't the case. "I volunteered to help out at the camp suffering from the spreading disease." She grabs the pendant of her necklace and hides it behind her clothing. "So I won't be seeing you for a while." They're back to being wary now. She feels entitled in telling him as some form of a warning. To let him know that he can't hurt her.

Klaus turned around, dipping his head slightly as he smirked at her. "I know."

**a/n: Hope you enjoyed it! Review please! Constructive criticism always welcome. I think you're really going to like these next few chapters. Follow me on tumblr! Sweettemptation92**


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n: I want to say thank you to all of my lovely reviewers signed and unsigned! :) You guys keep me inspired. **

**I'm sorry! I know I've been slacking on my updates but right when I started updating this fic my life kind of took an unexpected turn for the worse. I've been spending a lot of needed time with my family but things have been calming down so I'm hoping I'll be able to get chapters out sooner. At least until finals. After finals I'll be able to post more though!**

Caroline stood staring at the few men lying in the cots. The number of injured people had died down since the Normandy invasion but she knew it wasn't just that.

Those who she assumed were attacked by an animal were still left wounded and weak. Some wounds had been fatal. Their lives being taken too soon but others were still hanging on and thankfully recovering quickly. Though the reminder of what, or who, that animal might be haunted her.

Klaus was hard to read and even hard to understand. Usually Caroline had prided herself in being ableto read people really well. She had an understanding of her surroundings that not many did and she was often vocal about it but not this time. This time was different. This time her life happened to be on the line.

This time she couldn't even understand him at all. He often plagued her with his dangerous eyes and she knew that he was not to be trusted. But there were those moment when his eyes appeared to be gentle. Those were the eyes that made her heart flutter against her wishes. They made her feel as if he wasn't such a fearful being.

She knew the reality though.

He was a vampire and he needed to be stopped.

But despite all of that she could feel herself changing. She could feel her morals slipping out the door. The morals that she had been taught since she found those pictures in her father's office as a little girl. Everything she had been taught started to change that moment he found her necklace.

If he was so evil then why hadn't he ripped her necklace right off of her neck the moment he found it? Why had he let her keep it?

It was the question she couldn't stop asking herself since the moment he left her tent. She tried to think of ways that it would benefit him but there weren't any that she could find. As long as she had the vervaine, he would have no control over her and what she said or did.

He also said that he had taken her letter only to hand it to her later as an apology. Then he seemed genuinely sorry for causing her any trouble when he saw the look of disappointment in her eyes. What was his angle there?

And above all she couldn't stop asking herself why when he left; she wanted nothing more than for him to stay. The air which had usually been so mysterious and dark grew light and easy when it was just them. There were times she tried to refrain from laughing or smiling but it couldn't be helped.

As much as she hated it, it felt natural.

"Caroline?" A voice asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Hm?" She looked down at Matt who was sitting up in his bed. He had recovered more quickly than she had expected. In fact, she thought he would have to be sent home due to his injuries but he was almost as good as new.

He smiled up at her. "I was asking if any of the doctors gave you any more news on how I'm doing."

"You're just about as good as new." She smiled back and raised an eyebrow. "But you already knew that. Did you need anything else?" Pulling the thermometer away and squinting at it.

She was just about to leave until he grabbed her wrist. "Actually, I have this pain in my other side. Would you mind checking it for me?"

Caroline nodded and moved her palms to press on his waist. "Does it hurt when I press here?" He shook his head. She moved to another side and glanced up to see Klaus across the room sitting next to Stefan who was laying in one of the cots. _Seriously?_ She thought wondering when they would stop with the charades. "Here?" Her voice sounded far away as she asked. It probably wasn't in anybody's best interest if she, as a nurse wasn't focused on her patient but she couldn't pull her gaze away from him.

Klaus looked up at her and she pressed her lips together. He nodded at her and then his eyes moved to Matt and his face was replaced with a scowl. Her hands hadn't moved since he looked up at her and she could feel Matt's smiling gaze at her. Clearing her throat, she looked down at Matt and apologized.

"You have nothing to be sorry. But I shouldn't lie to you anymore." As she furrowed her brows, Matt laughed softly. "I don't have any pains. I was just trying to find a way to keep you here longer."

"Were you now?" She smiled politely as she removed her hands from him and pulled his blanket back up.

"It's the truth. I just needed a little bit more time to build up some courage."

"Courage? What for?"

She swallowed afraid of what he was going to ask. "You've been so helpful to me and I was wondering if after all of this is said and done, if you would like to go on a date with me?" Matt looked so confident as he asked.

She glanced up to see Klaus' curious gaze on her. The man actually looked amused. To be honest, she felt sorry. She looked back down at Matt and smiled softly. She had always known of Matt's crush on her but he'd never acted on it and she never expected him too. "A date?" She asked. Opening her mouth to speak, she closed it again and rethought her answer. "Well-" She says before she's interrupted.

"Miss Forbes." Klaus is next to her in a moment and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first time she had ever felt relieved to see him. "About that bandage?" He asked raising his hand up to remind her that he needed to get a replacement.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly looking down at Matt.

He frowns for a moment and looks at Klaus, staring at him warily. It's a silent battle between the two until Matt breaks to look back at Caroline. Forcing a smile he says, "Duty calls." And waves her off.

She turned on her heel and led Klaus to one of the cots across the room.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He said as he sat down.

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the roll of bandages on the stand next to her. "For what?"

He breathed and brought his hand to his chin contemplating it. "You're right. I suppose Donovan should be thanking me for saving him from the embarrassment of rejection."

She began to slowly unwrap his bandage unsure of what would lie beneath it. A part of her wished that it was still slightly wounded to prove her wrong. But she knew that the possibility of him being human was gone now.

She glanced over at Matt who was watching them. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was going to accept."

Klaus chuckled lightly tugging his arm back causing her to move closer. Her knee was now touching his. The only thing between them were their uniforms. Her throat clenched at the contact as she began to move even slower unwrapping the bandage. "I suppose that could have been a possibility."

She bit her lip as she smiled and let out a small giggle. He smiled with her as she shoved him lightly. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

He squinted at her, looking her up and down. "I just have a very good read on people." At this, she locked her eyes with him, as if she was studying him. Maybe they had more in common than she assumed.

"Maybe I just wanted to give him hope. He's out here facing death every second of every day. I thought it would be nice to give him something to look forward to."

He broke eye contact with her after what seemed like an eternity and looked down at his still wrapped hand. "Forgetting something?"

This was it. She stood staring at his hand. She just had to unwrap it once more to see the damage or lack of damage. With shaky fingers she removed it and examined his hand. It looked porcelain as if there had never been any gash there a day in his life. He kept his eyes locked on her face waiting for some dramatic reaction.

"Amazing." She whispered. Looking up at him, she smiled a smile she wished looked real. "You're as good as new." He stared at her suspiciously as she disposed of the dirty bandage. "I guess my work here is done."

"Not quite." He spoke quickly before she had the chance to leave. "I have a few bad bruises on my chest if you wouldn't mind applying some ice."

She contemplated this for a moment before ordering him to lie down. When she returned with the ice he had already had his shirt unbuttoned revealing a large purple mark. She didn't know how he was faking it. As far as she knew, vampires healed quickly so she wasn't sure if he was self inflicting these wounds or asking Stefan to help. She started to move the ice towards his chest but paused and looked at him. "You don't plan on losing your temper again, do you?"

"I apologize for that." He said glancing down at his chest. "My thoughts were not entirely intact then."

Nodding, she placed the ice on his chest. The tips of her fingers outstretched and lightly grazed his smooth skin. She watched him carefully as he kept his eyes closed. He looked almost peaceful. She admired his strong features, his cheeks, his long eyelashes, and his button nose. But most of all she admired his lips that were so red and full. Shaped like no other man she had seen before. "Do you ever sleep?" She asked quickly, trying to diffuse the tension.

"I do." He said, keeping his eyes closed.

"It just seems like you're always out. If I'm correct, you just returned from a battle. Shouldn't you be resting?"

At this he opened his eyes and looked at her. "I had this compelling need to say goodbye to my favorite nurse."

Her lips curved up into a smile as she looked down. "I think you can handle this." She said grabbing his hand and placing it on the ice pack.

She turned around, but stopped quickly and turned to the side. "Not goodbye. See you later."

* * *

Caroline was just walking back to the nurses tent as the volunteers were being called to wake up to leave for the new camp. Those who had volunteered were grabbing their small belongings because their trunks were already packed in the trucks.

"Are you ready?" Elena asked striding up next to her. Caroline nodded and Elena nudged her. "There's Klaus."

She looked up at him and smiled. This was bad. She went from scowling at him every time she saw him to fighting her smiles but now she didn't even bother hiding her excitement. He was supposed to be the bad guy, the villain, the _vampire._ And here she was smiling. She felt even more ridiculous when she saw that he kept his face still and was evidently unfazed by her presence.

He was standing by the truck helping the few nurses in. When she reached closer to him she looked down ignoring him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, whispering into her ear. "I'll see you later, Caroline."

And then every thought of him being a vampire was gone.

* * *

When they arrived at the camp, devastation was in every direction that they looked. Caroline gasped at the sight as she walked towards the infirmary. The food was all over the place, the dirt covered every tent and table. It was darker, colder.

She placed her hand over her mouth and looked at Elena who wore a look that she assumed mirrored hers.

The camp was, without a doubt, filthy. Much filthier than the one they had just left. It was no wonder why they had all come down with horrible sicknesses.

A soldier walked by her and coughed whispering an apology. He opened the tarp of the infirmary tent and she swallowed the hard lump in her throat that was formed when she saw the sight before her eyes. It was small and packed. Outside was a ghost town compared to the crowd of people here in this cramped space.

"Keep composure. They need the strength more than we do." She told Elena as she squeezed her hand.

There was coughing and wheezing all around her yet they started by giving vaccinations to those who had yet to be struck with the sickness.

She helped those around her and frowned when every doctor told her the same thing. "We don't know what it is." They all kept repeating.

Three people had died just in the day that she had been treating there. She treated them desperately hoping for a cure to magically find its way to them in order to save these people.

She could feel herself wearing down after just one day. Her and a few other nurses were led to the tent where they would be sleeping. There wasn't enough space for each person to have a bed so they placed mats all along the dirt. Their trunks had each been placed next to their assigned mats. Caroline looked for her name and sat down on the ground next to it, exhausted from the day. She placed her hands in her forehead and sighed heavily.

She looked back up and noticed something that she hadn't noticed before. She looked past the opening outside and squinted. It was a pair of shoes that she recognized outside of the tent. She stood up quickly and walked out to see if she was right but when she looked out, there was no sign of anyone near the tent. She stepped outside further and turned the corner closer to one of the squad's tent and that's when her heart started racing.

First, she saw his back that she knew all too well. He was standing next to a tall man with dark brown hair. They were talking quietly until the man noticed her and she stood still.

Klaus turned away from the man to face her and smirked devilishly at her sending a chill down her spine.

"Well hello, Love."

**a/n: Thank you for reading. Review if you can. Constructive criticism always welcome. :) I tried harder with editing and typos but I'll probably be looking for a beta soon. :) Follow me on tumblr! Sweettemptation92**


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n: Justine, I hope you read my authors notes because I'm about to answer your questions haha. Since I couldn't PM you I'll just answer here. Maybe others are confused too. Caroline's necklace does prevent vampires to compel her. I hinted at it in the first chapter, but her necklace contains vervaine in it so that's why he can't compel her :) In the show, the characters usually wear vervaine in some form of jewelry and I believe Klaus knows that so that's how he knew it was her necklace. :) Thank you for always reviewing!**

**And thank you to my other readers and reviewers because I know I'm literally the worst at updating. You guys are such faithful reviewers and as always thank you for the kind words and constructive criticism. I hope you enjoy this one.**

Klaus stood next to the man and smirked at Caroline who was staring wide-eyed. "Breaking protocol as usual I see." He commented with that playful voice of his.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with urgency in her voice as she looked around to see if Stefan was nearby. She didn't want to leave Elena alone with him if he was here.

Klaus glanced back at the man behind him. "My assistance was needed." When he brought his eyes back to Caroline he realized that she was staring behind him. "This is Caroline Forbes. She's the nurse who aided me. Caroline, this is Elijah."

Elijah stepped forward and outstretched his hand. "It's a pleasure Miss Forbes." After a moment's hesitation she took his hand and nodded. He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. She glanced over at Klaus who was glaring hard with pursed lips, his jaw jutting outwards.

Elijah chuckled as he released her hand and looked off to the side. "Niklaus tells me that there's more to you than meets the eye."

She gulped as she realized that he was a vampire as well. "_Niklaus_ is probably exaggerating." He narrowed his eyes at her use of his formal name.

"I wouldn't put it past him." Elijah looked back at Klaus who was staring at Caroline. "He has a habit of being dramatic."

Klaus whipped his head to scowl at Elijah. "Mind your tongue Elijah. Don't you have duties to perform?"

"I do. It was a pleasure to have met you Caroline." He offered a small smile which she politely returned. He looked to Klaus who was impatiently waiting for him to leave. "Remember what I said Niklaus." Elijah said as he turned to walk away.

Her head slightly titled as she heard his words and she wondered what he could have been referring to. When she realized she was being silent for too long she turned her head towards Klaus who had moved two steps closer."He seems kind." Caroline said nervously.

"My brother's impeccable manners can often be fooled for kindness." Klaus said as he turned brushing aside the topic of Elijah. He began to walk away from a stunned Caroline. "Won't you take a walk with me?" He calls back.

She stares at the ground with a surprised look on her face before she looks up at him. He's waiting for her and watching her expectantly. Despite the fact that she should have said no, she followed him anyway. Jogging slightly until she caught up with him, she spoke breathlessly. "Your brother? Elijah is your brother?'

"Yes." Klaus said. Placing his hands in his pockets, he led her to the woods behind the campsite.

"So you weren't following me." Caroline said admittedly, embarrassed that she had ever thought that.

"No." He held a tree branch back for her until she passed, releasing it as it made a snap. She quickly turned around behind her finally realizing where they were. "But I'll admit I was pleased to find out that you would be here as well."

Ignoring his comment she looked around as the realization that they were alone finally hit her. "Where are we?"

"We're just in the woods outside the camp."

She swallowed the knot that formed in her throat. "I should go back."

Klaus smiled as he heard her heart beating faster. "Are you afraid?"

"No."

"Then come on." He said, grabbing her wrist.

He tugged lightly and she slowly followed. "Now who's breaking protocol?" He simply laughed and kept walking. She stopped abruptly as they got further and further into the woods. "Klaus." She pulled her arm back slightly leaving her hand in his. He held her hand as it lightly rested in his. And she wanted to trust him. She did. But the looming fact that he was a monster who was probably responsible for hundreds of deaths was still there.

He was everything she wasn't. She was bright and optimistic and he had darkness following him everywhere he went. She saved lives and he took them away. So why is it that with her hand resting in his, every nerve in her body is telling her to follow him?

"Caroline, I won't let anything harm you." Her eyes narrowed as he said _anything _rather than _anyone._ Because isn't that supposed to be the true danger out here? The axis powers. The enemy. The humans.

"But will you?" She quickly pulled her hand away and grabbed onto her coat with a tight grip. Caroline took a step back preparing to run.

He smirked. "And there it is." The smirk on his face turned devilish. "I was wondering how long it would take you."

She saw that he was moving closer and she turned on her heel as fast as she could. She began running but she didn't make it far until he was in front of her in an instant. With a gasp she shuffled backwards until her back made contact with the tree behind her.

She coughed a couple times before speaking. "I won't say anything."

"I know you won't. But you have the vervaine and that means you've been prepared. You know all about this."

He wore an amused look as she glared at him and asked, "What do you want?"

He stepped forward closing the distance between them. The darkness of his eyes was concealed by the darkness of the night, though she could still feel the burn of the intensity of his eyes. "I want you to tell me what you know."

"I don't know anything." She turned her face to the side away from him and shut her eyes tight.

Lowering his eyes to her neck, he brought his hand to the chain around it and pulled the necklace out again. "I don't want to have to force it out of you, Caroline."

Releasing her shaky breath she grabbed the necklace away from him. "All I know is what I've been taught ever since I was a kid. I know about vampires because my mother and father taught me about them." He watched her carefully as she finally turned to face him bravely. "I swear it."

"Hmm." He said softly. "Very well then." Releasing her, he took a few steps back allowing her to step away from the tree.

They stood silently staring at each other. "You don't want to kill me?"

"What I want is for you to not be afraid of me." He said quietly. "Did I not just say that I wouldn't let anything harm you?" His voice was suddenly urgent and angry. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought he sounded offended.

"Why though? Aren't you supposed to be-" She stopped; unable to finish her question, scared of how he might respond.

"Believe it or not Miss Forbes," He paused, stalking closer to her. They weren't touching but he was close. Close enough for her to feel the heat of his breath. She shivered due to the proximity. "I've grown quite fond of you." He whispered so softly, it was almost inaudible. It was as if it was meant for her ears only. His eyes were blazing into hers and it was the first time she wouldn't dare break away from his stare. And she couldn't break away even if she wanted to. It was like something was holding her there. There was a gentleness that she hadn't seen before in his eyes. She parted her lips unknowingly and took a sharp breath.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Klaus turn his head to the side. "Niklaus." Elijah said behind them.

"What is it, Elijah?" Klaus asked with a hint of annoyance. He stayed close to Caroline and kept his head turned to the side, still not facing his brother.

Elijah remained calm as he spoke. "We may have a problem."

He breathed an irritated sigh. "Fine. I will find you in a moment."

"Klaus." Elijah warned.

"I said I would find you in a moment. I just need to escort Miss Forbes back to the base." He turned back to Caroline. Her cheeks were pink from embarrassment and when she looked back up she saw that Elijah was already gone.

Klaus offered her his arm and she stared at it for a moment before shoving her hands in her pockets, bringing a small laugh from Klaus. "Lead the way." She said quietly as she sniffled due to the cold weather.

They walked slowly and in silence; neither of them wanting to address the moment that they had just shared. When they exited the woods and arrived back at the base she looked around and noticed that it was much quieter than it was before. How long had they been out in the woods?

"That's odd." She whispered.

He looked around at the emptiness and wondered if it had anything to do with the problem Elijah was referring to. "What?"

"It just seems different." She brought her fist to her mouth and coughed a few times.

He turned to look at her and furrowed his eyebrows. "You seem to be coming down with something."

She looked at him and saw the worried look in his eyes. "I'm fine." They stopped in front of the tent and she blinked a few times finally realizing how exhausted she really was. "Is everything all right? What was Elijah talking about?"

He watched her as her eyes were drooping shut. "You don't have to worry about that. Right now you need some rest." He held open the tarp that opened the tent and lightly pushed her inside. "Good night, Caroline."

* * *

"Caroline. Caroline wake up." Elena shook a sleeping Caroline urgently.

"What?" She whispered hoarsely.

Elena was kneeling down beside Caroline. "Twelve died last night and sixteen more have been admitted since you got off your shift. This thing, whatever it is, it's really bad."

"Oh god." Caroline whispered as she sat up. The room span and she put her hands to her head.

"Are you all right?" Elena asked as she placed her hand on her shoulder.

Caroline shook her off and reached for her shoes quickly putting them on. "I'm fine. It's just a headache."

Elena reached for her friend's head placing her palm across her forehead. "Caroline, you're burning up."

She backed away from Elena and pushed herself off the ground. "It's fine Elena."

Elena watched her carefully before standing up. "You know, Klaus is here."

Caroline sighed, remembering her night. "I know. I ran into him last night."

"Did he follow you here?"

"At first I thought he did because he's proved to be that bothersome." Elena laughed at her friend's denial. "His brother is here. He said something about his assistance being needed."

"What else did you two talk about?" Elena teased.

Caroline reached for her coat and paused, thinking about the conversation they had. It was out now. He confirmed her beliefs and he now knew that she knew. And she also knew that he wasn't as bad as she thought he was. There was still so much that she needed to know. She just didn't know if she wanted to find out. He was kind with her but that didn't mean he was kind with everyone else.

But even with that thought, she couldn't stop thinking about the way he looked at her or the way she wanted to lean in to feel his lips on hers. It was the first time her knees had buckled around any man.

She cleared her throat and shook her head as she slid her arms into her coat. "Nothing. He was as insufferable as ever."

"It's not a coincidence that he's almost everywhere you go. Maybe it's some kind of sign. Maybe you should ease up on him." Elena shrugged and sat back down and removed her shows.

"It's not a sign. I was looking forward to being away from him despite the horrible conditions of this camp." Elena rolled her eyes at Caroline who just kept walking towards the exit.

"Good luck." She whispered. "I'm going to switch shifts with Bonnie tomorrow."

Bonnie smiled from across the room. Bonnie was one of the nurses who they had met when they arrived here. She was sitting with three other women who also worked during the daytime shift with Caroline. Caroline smiled at Elena and nodded. "I'll see you in the morning."

Caroline released the cough that she was holding in as she stepped out of the tent with the other women. She looked around at the camp noticing that fewer and fewer people were walking around. The fog and the cool chill surrounding them gave her an eerie feeling.

"You're getting sick." Bonnie said beside her.

Caroline shook her head. "I'm not. It must be some allergies. Or just a small cough. I should be fine by tomorrow."

"Elena's worried about you too. If something is wrong you would tell us right?"

"Absolutely." Caroline nodded. "I wouldn't risk it. Not here." She was known to be stubborn but she knew when to ask for help. She smiled at Bonnie. "Thank you for the concern."

They stepped into the infirmary and saw that it had gotten much more crowded. "It's gotten worse."

"The worst part is, they haven't figured out how to save them." Caroline shook her head as she whispered. "It's like we're just making them as comfortable as they can be as they head straight for their deaths."

Caroline stepped beside a man and reached for a wet cloth. She wiped the sweat off of his face as he whimpered and coughed. She gave him a pained look as he brought his hand up to his throat. He rubbed three fingers across it and spoke hoarsely. "Burns." Most of them had lost their voices soon after they became ill. She handed him some antibiotics and placed a warm cloth on his neck to help ease the pain. Closing the curtains behind her she looked to the entrance and saw three more men being rolled in.

She stepped to the side away from others and coughed a few more times. She looked around to see if anyone was looking before grabbing the antibiotics that were on the stand beside her quickly swallowing them.

"I saw that." She heard a voice say.

She turned around quickly to see that the voice belonged to Elijah and backed up knocking over some of the items on the stand. He walked over and began picking up the items that were dropped. He lined them up carefully. "Sorry." She whispered as she began to help him.

"Is there something you need to confess?" He asked. She watched him and he seemed to be more concerned about the organization of the medicines and bandages on the stand.

She looked down ashamed. "I just have a small cough and as a nurse, I can't get sick."

"Understandable." He placed his hands in the pockets of his uniform and turned to her. He kept a wary look on her until something else behind her caught his attention. "Excuse me for a moment." Caroline turned around to see where he was looking and saw that he had stopped right in front of Bonnie across the room. She saw Bonnie nod and watched as he led her out of the room.

For a moment, she watched them until a voice interrupted her thoughts. "Excuse me." She heard behind the curtains next to her. "Is someone there?" She opened the curtains to find a man who had sweat trickling down his forehead and began tending to his needs.

For the rest of the day she had helped and fed many around her. It seemed like she was growing more comfortable with her surroundings. The day before it had shocked her and almost broke her. But now, she was becoming used to the devastation. And these weren't surroundings that she wanted to grow familiar with.

She walked across the room feeling dizzier than usual. The thought of the mats on the ground that she had slept on the night before was sounding more and more comfortable the more tiresome she grew.

When she stepped outside of the infirmary she saw Klaus talking with Elijah. He looked angry about something and she wondered what they could have been discussing. She stumbled across the way and reached for her head as the headache became worse. Her surroundings began to spin, her skin began to crawl, her muscles tensed, and she felt herself begin to fall backwards as she found herself surrounded with darkness.

* * *

When she woke she could feel herself lying on a cushioned surface. Prying her eyes open she saw the white of the curtains surrounding her and she felt the squeeze on her wrist as she turned to see Elena who was facing away from her.

"Elena?" She whispered tiredly.

"Caroline!" She said excitedly. Elena reached down to hug her friend tightly. She pulled away and her grin was replaced by a glare. "You know, if you hadn't been so stubborn we could have helped you earlier.

"What happened?" She whispered roughly. She cleared her throat a few times afraid that she had lost her voice like some of the others. "What happened?" Caroline said more clearly, breathing a sigh of relief once she heard the sound of her voice.

"You collapsed at the end of your shift." Elena went back to taking her pulse and looked away. "Klaus carried you in here." She said slowly.

Caroline closed her eyes imagining his arms wrapped around her as he carried her. Her cheeks burned bright red. "Is that all?"

Elena shook her head. "He was pretty upset. Began shouting at Bonnie, and I think his brother, Elijah." Caroline furrowed her brows and turned her head to the side. "I think you were right about him not being a good man."

Caroline shut her eyes and sighed. The moment she began to think that he wasn't all horrible is the moment Elena changes her mind about him.

"I have to go help the others. I'll be back to check on you." Caroline nodded as she watched he friend leave.

She sighed as she stared at the ceiling. Her job was to help heal. She wasn't the one who was supposed to need healing. There was the thought of the other patients that she had seen die. Anyone who had fallen ill was led to their death soon after. It was the first time she had ever been faced with something like this. Her breathing became uneven as the water began to fill her eyes.

The ringing sound that came from the opening of the curtains forced her to push her tears back. She inhaled and exhaled deeply and turned to see Klaus standing above her. He had a blank look on his face and his jaw was set tight.

He stepped closer to her and sat down quietly on the chair on her left side. Hesitantly, he brought his hand closer to hers but stopped and kept it placed on the bed beside her hand. "I'm going to die." She whispered softly as one tear dropped.

Klaus balled his hand into a fist beside hers and looked over at her. "No. You aren't."

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Klaus, every single one of them died."

"Were you told that you had the same disease?" He asked and she shook her head. "Then you aren't going to die." He watched her eyes carefully and exhaled. She saw the same worry in his eyes that she saw the night before. Klaus turned his head away from her before she could respond. "Get some rest." He stood up to walk away but was stopped when her cool fingers wrapped around his wrist. His hand had still been balled into a fist and her grip was loose and weak.

"Stay." She whispered and waited for him to turn around. Despite Elena's words, she wanted him to stay.

He had his back to her and shut his eyes. He knew what he would be doing if he stayed. He'd grow closer to her. It was dangerous, he knew, but for some reason he didn't care. Maybe it was the way she asked him to stay. So weak and vulnerable. Or maybe it was the way she had her fingers wrapped gently around his wrist. Gentleness he had never known before. But whatever it was, it made him want to stay.

With slumped shoulders, he turned and replied with a sigh. "Okay."

He watched her scoot to the edge of her bed and she patted the spot next to her. After removing his boots he eased himself next to her onto the bed hesitantly lying down. He saw the same hesitance on her face. He saw that she was nervous. She was used to the burning looks and the innocent touches but this would be new for her. He turned on his side as she turned on hers, her back facing his. She moved closer to him as he brought his arm up to wrap around her body. His hand grazed her stomach and he pulled her closer to him. The heat of their bodies touching warmed her up as she shivered. Her back pressed to his chest, their legs tangled together, and his chin resting on the top of her head. The only thing between them was the clothing on their backs. She placed her arm over the arm that wrapped around her stomach and covered his hand with hers. His thumb wrapped around her thumb.

"Thank you." She whispered so inaudibly that if he wasn't a vampire, he never would have heard her. He heard her nervous, quick breathing slow and he shut his eyes waiting for her to fall asleep in his arms.

**a/n:** **I hope this made up for making you wait so long. I know I'm terrible with updates. But it's finals week and as soon as it's over I'll be able to write and post more!**

**Please review! And follow me on tumblr if you want. Sweettemptation92**


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n: Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews. I'm glad you guys are still interested in this story. I hope you guys like this one. Shit is about to go down! I had the worst writers block with this chapter so hopefully it doesn't suck!**

**Happy reading :)**

Burning. There was a burning sensation in Caroline's throat as she awoke the next morning. Each intake of breath stung as if someone was throwing a match down her throat.

Moving her hand to massage her throat, she realized that it was pressed against a warm chest. With a small gasp, she opened her eyes to see Klaus in front of her. Sometime in the night she must have turned to face him because her forehead was pressed against his collarbone. She pulled back slightly to see his peaceful state. He was still sleeping with his arm wrapped around her back. She had never seen him look so serene with his lips parted slightly open and his eyes drooped shut.

_What was I thinking?_ Caroline thought as she turned to lie on her back. She stared straight up at the ceiling trying to recall what had happened last night.

She remembered being delirious and feeling hopeless as she lay on the bed by herself. Wanting nothing more but to be comforted like her parents used to do when she was a little girl. And in her state of vulnerability, she wanted the person to comfort her to be Klaus. She remembered wanting to be comforted by him and only him as he stared at her with hopeless eyes that probably mirrored hers. That she panicked as he started to leave. Her thoughts circling around the fact that she could die in the middle of the night and no one would know for maybe hours.

His arm laid heavy across her stomach now and she moved her fingers to trace circles on the back of his palm. She was confused as hell as to why he was willing to be there for her, but thankful nonetheless. Happy even.

"I just need to check on Caroline first." Elena's voice echoed outside of the curtains and Caroline panicked.

She looked at Klaus who was still sleeping peacefully and then back to the curtains. She saw Elena's shadow behind the curtains. Caroline looked back at Klaus and pushed him with the little strength that she had hoping he would either wake up or fall off of the bed. He hardly even budged and she scoffed. He was a vampire. Wasn't he supposed to have heightened senses?

She began to think of ways to explain this to Elena and shut her eyes. Maybe she wouldn't say anything if she saw that Caroline was still resting.

Hearing the rustling of the curtains, Caroline's skin began to crawl from nervousness. She could hear the curtains open completely and she heard a quiet sigh escape from Elena's mouth. What would she say? "Oh Care." She whispered quietly. Elena moved next to Caroline and shook her softly.

Caroline slowly opened one eye and waited to be met with Elena's scolding glare. Instead she was met with light and worried eyes. Turning to look beside her, she saw that Klaus was no longer next to her and breathed a sigh of relief. She was known for breaking rules out here, but that didn't mean she wanted to be caught.

"How are you feeling?" Elena asked as she reached for the thing, glass thermometer.

_Relieved._ Caroline thought as Elena moved to place the thermometer in her mouth. She opened her mouth slightly and breathed in a cool breathe of air that soothed the burn in her throat for just a mere second before it began to burn again. "My throat." Caroline croaked out. Her eyebrows scrunched with worry as she heard her voice. It was gone. Just like the others. How long would she have now? A week? A day? She didn't know. But what she did know was that her condition was getting worse faster than the others who had been diagnosed with the unknown disease.

"No." Elena shook her head adamantly. "I know what you're thinking and no Caroline."

Caroline pushed herself up to sit up straight as Elena peered at the thermometer. The movement sent a pain coursing through her body as her limbs ached and her head throbbed. She felt dizzy from the throbbing pain and shut her eyes. "I know the statistics, Elena." She whispered because that was all her voice could take.

"102. They should be coming around with tea. That should help soothe the pain in your throat. I'll get you some aspirin."

"Elena." Caroline sighed. She looked down and began playing with the hem in her blanket. "My parents. I need to write them."

She coughed once, twice, and it soon turned into a fit that lasted minutes as Elena tried to comfort her. When she calmed down she looked back up at Elena. "Please."

"I'll find some paper." Elena sighed. "The doctor is making his rounds around the patients. You get some rest now. I'll be back in just a moment." With a small smile, she turned and closed the curtains behind her leaving Caroline alone with her thoughts.

She thought of her parents and how they would feel after losing their only daughter. Often times it felt like she was the only one holding their family together. What would happen to them if she was gone? She couldn't give them the embraces that she wanted to give them but she hoped that maybe she could give them words of comfort.

She stifled a soft cry and reached for the handkerchief beside her to wipe the tears that she shed. _You will not cry._ She tells herself. _You're strong._ She says. But at this moment, she's not sure if she believes it. And it didn't help either, when the doctor came in moments later with a pained expression and gave her the news that she knew was true all along. That she was diagnosed with the same mysterious illness. She hugged her knees tightly after he left and tried her hardest to hold back the tears that threatened to fall again.

"Bonnie, I will not stand and watch these innocents die on my behalf." A voice she recognized as Elijah spoke outside of the curtains. She looked behind the white curtains and saw the shadows of him and who she assumed was Bonnie.

Bonnie sighed and spoke quietly. "I understand. I'm trying my best."

"I do hope that you will try harder." He spoke slowly as if it were the easiest solution. "Ah, Niklaus, our dear Miss Bennett has-" Elijah stopped short for some reason and she watched their shadows behind the curtains disappear.

Klaus stepped in moments after and frowned at the sight before him. "How are you feeling?"

Caroline shrugged and narrowed her eyes at him realizing that he was going to avoid conversation on Elijah and Bonnie. He sat down in a wooden folding chair next to her and eyed her carefully.

"You know, next time you're so worried about Elena Gilbert walking in on us, all you have to do is ask me to move. There's no need for shoving." Caroline laughed and brought up her knees. Of course he was awake the whole time. She frowned and hugged her knees as she realized the implications of his words. _Next time._ And she knew that there wouldn't be a next time. "What's wrong, love?"

A nurse walked in and interrupted her answer. The nurse, Abigail Weathers, was never fond of Caroline. She wheeled in a cart with a stoic expression her face. She poured the tea into a small cup and placed it on the stand beside Caroline's bed and left.

"What's wrong?" He asked again, this time more pressing. She turned to grab the tea beside her and drank it in slow sips. "Answer me, Caroline."

"My voice." She whispered hoarsely.

He scowled with an angry glare and she watched the way he swallowed as he clenched his fist. The glare wasn't directed at her though. His eyes were aimed at the bars on the bend behind her.

"I'm sorry it took so long." Elena said as she barged into the room with a paper and clipboard in her hands. "This should do." She handed Caroline the pencil and paper and took the tea from her hands. Her eyes glanced towards Klaus who was now standing.

"Thank you." Caroline said and smiled at Elena. She glanced between the two and looked back down at the paper in her hands.

Klaus stared at what lay in her hands. "For your family?" He asked and she nodded.

She reached for her chest and grabbed the necklace that her father gave her, holding it in a closed fist. "I need to help them somehow." She said softly.

"You're not dying, Caroline." Elena said as she shook her head. She would have argued. But she felt too exasperated to even try.

"Niklaus." Another voice said. "May I come in?" Klaus looked at Caroline who nodded.

"Yes, Elijah?" Klaus said as he kept his eyes locked on Caroline's.

Klaus waited for Elijah to speak but when he turned to look at him he saw that he was looking past him at a certain raven-haired girl with what looked like to be a stunned expression.

Caroline stared on confused as to what was happening. She looked to Klaus for answers but he walked towards his brother and put a hand on his shoulder. "Elijah, this is Elena Gilbert."

"Hello." Elena smiled at him and reached for his outstretched arm.

"It's a pleasure, Miss Gilbert." He said as he glanced back at Klaus who was watching with a hard look. "A word, Niklaus?" He said as he released Elena's hand. Klaus walked out of the room with his hands folded behind his back as Elijah followed behind him.

"They're brothers." Caroline said meekly. Elena turned to raise her eyebrow at Caroline who simply shrugged.

* * *

Klaus had flashed into the woods the moment he was out of any human's sight and Elijah followed behind him. They were in the woods outside of the base where Klaus and Caroline had been just two nights ago. When he slowed, Klaus felt Elijah's hands wrap around his throat.

"Did you somehow forget to inform about the doppelganger?" Elijah said as his fingers wrapped around Klaus' throat. Klaus grabbed Elijah's arm and twisted it back away from him and moved his free hand to grab Elijah's throat instead.

"I reckoned it wasn't much of your business." He said through gritted teeth before releasing Elijah and pushing him back.

"Katerina has been missing for centuries." Elijah said as he straightened out his coat.

Klaus glared at him and scoffed. "The doppelganger is not my first priority at the moment. But rest assured, I have someone keeping an eye on her. Now if you'll excuse me." He said as he walked to push past Elijah.

"Don't, Klaus." Elijah said firmly. "If this is what we think it is, we can't risk it. We don't know the consequences. "

Klaus stopped for a moment before walking away without another word to do just the opposite of what his older brother warned him of.

* * *

When he returned to the infirmary he saw that Caroline was handing a folded letter to Elena. He walked closer to her and slipped past Elena behind the curtains leaving him and Caroline alone.

He sat on the edge of the bed next to her crossed legs that were beneath the thin blankets. "Everything all right?" She asked.

He nodded. "Nothing I'm not used to."

She coughed a few times and leaned her back onto the bars of the bed behind her. "I'm getting tired." She whispered and closed her eyes.

"Caroline, what have you learned about vampires?" He asked suddenly. The question woke her up from her exhausted state and she looked up at him. He turned to look at her and watched her eyes fill with worry.

"I don't understand. Haven't I told you enough?" She croaked out.

"I'm afraid you haven't."

She sighed and contemplated on how to word her next few sentences. Wondering whether or not she should really be saying this. "My parents always said that vampires were creatures of the night that were to be feared. Monsters feeding on the blood of humans."

"Evidently you didn't listen. You don't seem to be afraid of me."

"I don't think you're a monster." She looked up at him and saw that dangerous glint in his eyes that she saw the first day she met him. She reached her necklace and was reminded of the night he found out about it and how he let her keep it. The reminder of that night was the reason why she said her next words. "You're good." She whispered softly.

He scoffed and shook his head. "Well maybe I'm a bad person." His words were dangerous. Predatory. But even in spite of it all, she saw the truth behind the dangerous gleam in his eyes. She saw the fear that he tried to hide and then- then she felt that fear as she witnessed his eyes gleam a dark gold. His veins swelled below his eyes, and his fangs protruded from his teeth as he bit into his wrist and pressed it quickly to her lips, stifling any screams. Her eyes grew wide with fear as the blood touched her lips and he reached behind her to hold her neck against his wrist. His thumb moved slowly along the nape of her neck and he shushed her softly as he waited for the blood to hit her system.

**a/n: I hope you enjoyed it. I know that it's short I wanted to get this one out to you guys. I know I kind of jumped perspectives a little bit but I really needed the right conversations in there. Please review and tell me what you thought! **

**Happy holidays! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: Thank you guys for the amazing response and wonderful reviews! One of my reviewers caught a very important detail in the last chapter that plays a big part in the next chapter so look out for it :) **

**Anyway, with that said, Happy reading :)**

Her eyes wide with fear, stared straight ahead and she used all of the strength she had to try and push his arm away. The warm copper taste making her cringe as her throat constricted. She tried her hardest not to swallow but eventually she had no choice. Her screams were quiet and muffled against his arm. The fear courses through her body. What happens when you drink vampire blood? Her parents never told her. But she fears that he's trying to turn her. And the good man she thought she saw was gone. A façade. A fallacy.

She knew he was dangerous and that as a vampire he wasn't to be trusted. Was it so foolish of her to think he was different? More specifically, different with her?

Caroline began to think of what becoming a vampire would mean for her life. For her family. Her parents, they would despise her. Caroline's eyes began to water and the salt tears fell down her cheek and to his arm. At this, his hold on her neck loosened and he pulled his arm away slowly and stared at her expression.

She spit the remaining blood out and it landed on the sheets, looking like a bloody massacre. It ran down her chin and she brought her hand to her face and wiped it off.

Her eyes shot at him with an enraged glare and saw the impassive look on his face. And then she pushed her hands against his chest, knocking him off the edge of the bed. "How could you!" She shouted.

Klaus stared at her with hungry eyes, seeing her covered in blood for the very first time. It haunted him, but at the same time, it was a sight that tempted the vampire in him. His hand subconsciously reached out to wipe the remaining blood on her chin with his thumb but she smacked it away.

Staring at him with hatred, she threw the sheets off of her body feeling hot with anger. She brought her palm back to strike him across his cheek but he caught her wrist and stepped closer to her with a burning look of anger in his eyes. "I wouldn't, sweetheart." He spoke with gritted teeth and a set jaw. The look on his face was frightening. It was the look of a man who was near to losing his patience. Caroline thought of Mary Brothers, the woman in the abusive marriage back home, and wondered if she had seen this look a hundred times before.

His grip became too tight as she tried to wiggle her wrist out of his hand. "What did you do to me?" She spit at him through her tears.

Klaus released her wrist and stepped back, allowing himself to calm down. "Nothing you wouldn't have asked for."

"You think I would have asked for this?" She pushed him once, and then again, and he stood there taking every strike to his chest. "How could you think that I _wanted _this? That I _wanted you?_" He narrowed his eyes at her, pushing back any words he would have regretted. "I could never want a monster like you."

"Your actions last night tell a different story." He said these words low, and bitter. His eyes never leaving hers as she slowly calmed down and stopped pushing him.

Caroline scoffed and shook her head. "Being close to death has the ability to make a person delirious."

"And are you?"

She crossed her arms and looked away. "Am I what?"

"Are you close to death?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and her breath hitched. Her throat was already beginning to soothe, the burn slowly diminishing. "Because it seems to me that you're standing upright just fine."

She turned her back to him and sat back down on the bed. "Get out." She whispered. She felt Klaus standing still, staring at her back and she eased herself down to lie on her side, covering herself with the extra sheets. "I don't think I need to tell you twice." Caroline heard him release an angry sigh before she heard the rustling of the curtains and his loud footsteps stomping away.

So maybe he was right. Maybe she was being healed but that didn't mean she wasn't dying. How would she explain to her parents that she just became the one thing that they've hated the most for the majority of their lives?

What would they do to her? Would they hate her? Exile her from town? Maybe they might even kill her? Or maybe she'd just do it before she got the chance. If she had to choose, she would choose to die instead of being stuck with the fate of being a vampire.

The look of horror she imagined on her mother's face haunted her throughout the day. She was unable to move from her bed, and her eyes shut tight every now and then to block out the images of both her mother and father.

And the images of him. The images of a man she saw as someone she wanted, turn to a man she saw as someone she feared.

It was that look of anger that he had perfected. It looked as if it belonged on his face. How could a man with such an angelic face, look as if anger was natural for him?

She thought of the way his arms wrapped around her all through the night and how gentle they were. Those thoughts were soon replaced by the thought of his grasp on her wrist and how tight it was. Almost as if it were a desperate hold. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, behind the anger she saw a desperate man.

Eventually, the exhaustion becomes too straining and sleep takes her as she pushes out every thought.

* * *

When Caroline wakes again she finds Bonnie staring up at her with an expression she can't read. She looks worried, pained, but also relieved.

"Bonnie?" Caroline whispers groggily through her half closed eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Bonnie replies with a dazed look. She reaches for the thermometer and takes Caroline's temperature. When she brings it back out it's decreased since the morning, and it's down to the normal of ninety-eight degrees.

Caroline places her palm on her heart and finds that it's still beating. She looks down, clearly taken aback.

"It heals." Bonnie says, glancing around before leaning closer to Caroline. "Vampire blood." She whispers. She takes a warm wet cloth and begins to wipe the dried blood off of Caroline's chin and hands.

Caroline turns her head quickly to stare at Bonnie and furrows her brows. "You know?" Bonnie simply nods and pulls the cloth away when all traces of blood are gone. "So he didn't-" Caroline starts but Bonnie quickly shakes her head.

"Turning into one is a much more complicated process. He helped you. I don't know why. But he did."

"You don't know why? What do you mean?"

"Klaus isn't," She pauses, mentally searching for the right words. "He isn't known for his good deeds."

Caroline pushes herself off of the bed when she realizes the mistake she's made in blaming him. "I need to find him." She turns away and reaches for the closed curtain.

"Wait, Caroline." Bonnie says, stopping her in her tracks.

Caroline shakes her head and turns back around. Her face reads nothing but regret. "Bonnie I said some horrible things."

With a wave of her hand, she says, "It's nothing he hasn't heard before. There's a lot more going on here. It's more complicated than you know." Her eyebrows are scrunched and there's a fearful tone in her voice.

For a moment, Caroline contemplates staying there with hope that Bonnie will go into further explanation. But the look on Bonnie's face told her that she wasn't going to deliver any information. Caroline opens her mouth to speak, but doesn't say anything. Instead she looks at Bonnie with an apologetic look, opens the curtains, and rushes to find the one man she should be running away from.

She steps out of the infirmary into the cold air, only just now realizing it was nighttime. She shivered looking around at the empty grounds and walked to find him. Running her fingers through her tangled hair she called out his name quietly, knowing that if he were around he would hear her. "Klaus?"

She wandered in circles, even checking some of the tents that the soldiers were sleeping in and still he was nowhere to be found. When she turned around, she saw the trees behind the tents. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't afraid but she pushed back the fear and walked towards the forest where he had taken her before.

Her shoes stepped on the dry leaves and the twigs. It caused a snapping sound as she walked through the woods. "Damn it, Klaus." She heard a sound behind her and turned around quickly peering into the darkness. When she turned back around she was faced with a tall and lean body. "Oh!" She shouted and reached for her heart that jumped a mile a minute due to the surprise. When she looked back up she was face with Klaus' hard and detached blue eyes.

"What do you want?" He asked bitterly.

"I-" She started but she was at a loss for words. What did she want? She wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding but she didn't feel like she owed him an apology. He forced his blood on her without a warning. And he hadn't even said anything. He let her reprimand him the whole time. She took a deep breath. "You healed me." She whispered. "You didn't turn me." His eyes softened, only for a moment and she continued. "Why did you not say anything?"

He scoffed. "You didn't exactly give me a chance to before you started making assumptions."

"But you didn't even warn-"

He interrupted her and turned his head to the side. "Do I need to repeat myself? Maybe I'm a bad person."

"You're not." She shook her head and pursed her lips

"I made the mistake of allowing you to believe otherwise. Don't think for a second that how I am with you means I'm the same with others." He stared at her and despite the intimidating look he was giving her, she realized the depth behind his words. He had just said that he treated her differently than others. A sort of treatment that was reserved just for her.

"Why though? Why are you this way with me?" She stepped closer to him hesitantly.

"That, Caroline, is a question I've been asking myself." He breathed out sounding bothered by his words. He was bothered by the fact that he even had to ask himself the question at all.

She took another step closer to him and brought her wavering hand up to his face. Her palm softly touched the stubble on the side of his face. "Thank you." She whispered breathlessly feeling her heart pounding in her chest. The contact made her nervous but she didn't stop. The tips of her fingers lightly ran through the stubble on his cheeks, testing him. His face softened to her touch. He was no longer looking at her with an angry stare but a fearful one. He looked scared, that confidence no longer written on his features.

Taking another step forward, she closed the distance between them and her eyes fluttered shut as she brought her parted lips to his. Her hot nervous breathing hit his lips as her bottom lip lightly touched his. Their lips brushed together, soft and delicate. But before she could press her mouth harder against his, he pulled away and put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back.

He swallowed and stared at her with a soft expression. His jaw was set into a tight line and he took a step back away from her. And another. And then another until he flashed out of her sight behind the trees.

She exhaled a shaky breath looking down to the ground and stepped backwards in the opposite direction. His rejection came slow, and then fast, overwhelming her. Her heart sank. Heavy and aching. Bruising.

She wandered out of the forest and somehow found her way back to the base through the pitch black thinking of nothing but his obvious rebuff and how it pained her.

But what she didn't know was that it pained him as much as it did her.

**a/n: It's short but I hope you liked it! ;) Review and tell me what you thought! Constructive criticism is always welcome :) Thank you for being so patient with me!**


	9. Chapter 9

**a/n: Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews! And here's a fair warning for this chapter. Bear with me okay. Happy reading :)**

He hesitated before pulling away. It was quick and she hadn't noticed the way he lingered, how his mouth slightly pressed into hers before pulling away. Klaus was not normally a man of hesitation. He was a man of action. But for once in his very long and tumultuous life, he was the one to pull away from something that he wanted so desperately.

So why did he?

He was angry with her for making assumptions. Granted, he could have gone about his actions in a more proper way and at least given her a warning. The anger didn't last long. The trouble came from how her words had affected him. Even though the anger softened the moment she thanked him, her words still rang in his head, telling him to keep his guard up.

_I could never want a monster like you._

It played as she moved closer to him, as she brought her palm to his cheek, and then as she brought her lips to his. For a moment, he thought he could have it. Have her. But then her words rang repeatedly. So he pulled back. His face softened, full of regret before walking away from her, every word she spoke repeating in his head.

She had said more than once now, that she believed he was a good man and oh how mistaken she was. He wasn't sure which was more bothersome. Whether he was becoming softer, or whether he was showing only Caroline a side that had only been seen by his family.

He walked in the forest angry at himself with hopes to forget. In the distance, he heard a frantic male voice and made his way toward the sounds.

"Who's there?" A male voice called out shakily. "Hello?"

Klaus stepped closer and saw one man lying unconscious on the ground, his heart not beating. The odor of fresh blood was in the air. Next to him, there was another who kneeled beside the carcass. His hand covered the pool of blood on his friend's chest.

He turned his body towards Klaus with a look of relief. "Please. You have to help me. My friend, he-" The man paused and choked on his breath. "He's been shot."

Klaus took another step and stared at the corpse below him. "He's dead." He said, keeping a calm voice.

The man's eyes widened with shock. "No." He whispered softly, shaking his head, clearly reluctant to believe this.

"You said he was shot?" Klaus looked around to see if there was anyone else in the forest that he hadn't noticed earlier. The man nodded. "None of your instincts told you to run for fear of the same fate?" Klaus spoke with a careful, yet threatening tone.

The man stood up and eyed Klaus warily. "Everyone else, my troop, they kept moving."

"Allow me to ask you a question." Klaus said slowly, as he showed his fangs and the veins below his eyes became clearer. "Are your instincts telling you to run now?"

"What-" He started and reached for his gun holding it against his shoulder, ready to shoot at Klaus.

Klaus grabbed the barrel of the gun and pulled it out of the man's hands, throwing it against a nearby tree. It made a loud crack as it hit the tree and the man backed away in fear.

It happened quickly. He tried to run but was no match for the vampire. Klaus' fangs sunk into the man's neck. He quickly drained him of his blood before dropping him to the ground, leaving only a devilish grin on his face as every thought of him being a good man left him.

* * *

Caroline wakes up the next morning with images from the previous night. She sighs, pushing her thoughts back and pushes herself up off the ground. She came here for many reasons and none of those reasons were to fall for a vampire, let alone sulk over the man.

Vampires are manipulative. It was something her parents always told her. So she was foolish to assume that his kindness was authentic. She was foolish to assume that his gentleness was authentic. She was foolish to assume anything at all.

She buttoned her dress up and tied the laces on the front of her white shoes.

"Are you all right, Caroline?" She turned to see Elena staring at her. "I mean, are you sure you're well enough to go back?"

Caroline nodded, adjusting her nurse's cap. "I'll be fine. It's not possible for me to catch it a second time." She made her way to the opening of the tent and smiled at Elena. "Besides, at least we now have the same shifts."

"Are you trying to tell me something good came of your near death?"

"At least it's something." Caroline shrugged, trying to see the bright side of her days here and kept walking.

"You still haven't even answered how you've been miraculously cured. What did they do differently with you?" Elena was overjoyed to have had her friend back. She was beginning to feel hopeless believing that Caroline was heading to her imminent death. When she saw Caroline up and walking upright last night she nearly crushed her in her embrace. But as overjoyed as she was, she still had a few questions of her own.

"I'm not even sure myself." Caroline lied, avoiding eye contact with Elena. They stepped into the infirmary and she looked around hoping to avoid seeing Klaus. And when she didn't seem him she released a quiet sigh of relief. Although still, she could not help herself from feeling a little disappointed.

She moved another step forward only to be met with one of the doctors there. "Miss Forbes."

"Yes sir?" She says meekly, already fearing the questions he'll be asking her.

He pulled her to the side and away from Elena who went straight to work. "I wanted to ask you a few questions." She swallowed and nodded, waiting for him to continue. "Can you tell me anything the nurses did differently with your treatment?"

She shook her head. "Nothing I'm aware of. They all did the same practices that I've been using with others. Everything we were taught in training."

He narrowed his eyes at her and sighed. "Are you positive? We can't afford to lose anymore soldiers. If you know anything, let me know now."

She hesitated and looked down at the ground. When she looked back up she noticed Elijah eyeing them just a few feet away. He was leaning against the bars of an empty bed with his arms crossed. He wore a careful, yet warning look in his eyes so she nodded quickly. "I'm positive. I'm very sorry, I just-"

"Miss Forbes here informed me of her family's history." Elijah said uncrossing his arms, placing one hand in his pocket as his other hand moved as he spoke. "They have all had great health and she's had a strong immune system since she was a child. There's no magical cure that you're insinuating she knows about. It's simply in her genes." He looked at Caroline with a polite smile. It was polite, but it still held the same warnings and the same danger that he hid so well.

The doctor sighed, defeated and nodded, walking away.

Once he was out of hearing range, Caroline turned to Elijah. "Thank you." She said quickly.

He looked at her with a questioning stare and commented on her well being. "It's good to see you up and well again." She nodded. "I'm sure my brother had something to do with it. While we're on the subject, have you seen him?"

She looked to the side and shook her head. "Not since last night."

Elijah hummed quietly to himself and nodded. "If you do, let him know I'm looking for him."

Caroline huffed, closing her eyes. "I doubt I will."

Elijah laughed softly, amused. "Oh but I don't. Niklaus always finds a way to see you when he pleases." She turned to look at him and furrowed her brows at him before watching him walk away with a smirk on his face.

* * *

The rest of the day went by slow. She was healthy and being questioned by every doctor in sight. They each asked her what she did differently than the others. They questioned Bonnie, Elena, every nurse who aided her. If she was healthy, why weren't the others? Each of their answers was the same. It must be a miracle. Even Elijah was questioned a few times after he had made up the story about her family's health history and he also agreed with the others, brushing it off as some kind of miracle.

She thought of what he said about Klaus before walking away and scoffed. For all she knew, he could have been just as manipulative. Caroline stopped next to a sick man and aided him with a faraway look. The more she thought about it, part of what he said was true. She had grown accustomed to seeing him every day for the past few weeks so it was strange not seeing him today. Maybe he wanted to avoid her as badly as she wanted to avoid him.

_Enough about him._ She thought to herself. She had more pressing matters to worry about. Like the fact that Bonnie knew about vampires and was working on something for Elijah. But what was it? What could vampires want with a nurse?

When she spoke with Bonnie, she spoke as if she had known them for some time.

She tried her best to make the sick man comfortable as she contemplated everything Bonnie had said. He kept his eyes closed, clearly falling asleep. When she pulled his blanket over him she walked away.

The sun was setting when she saw Bonnie for the first time that day. Across the room, she saw her bandaging up one of the wounded soldiers.

When she walked closer to her, Bonnie looked up and quickly turned away, walking to leave the infirmary.

"Wait, Bonnie!" Caroline called out and in spite of being ignored, she followed her outdoors.

She followed Bonnie into the camp's kitchen which was surprisingly empty. There hadn't been much use of it lately. Most of the soldiers still alive ate canned rations that were passed around.

Bonnie sighed and turned around to stare at her. "What do you want, Caroline?"

A flash of confusion crossed Caroline's face as she looked at Bonnie. "I think you know."

"I can't tell you anything." Bonnie said looking up at all of the pots and pans hanging on the rack above her head.

"Listen, I know. My family raised me, teaching me everything about vampires and now out here," She paused and swallowed. "I'm learning new things about them. That's how I knew about Klaus. But I don't know enough. Bonnie, you can't say such vague things and still leave me in the dark." She stared at Bonnie with pleading eyes, hoping that she would tell her what she knew.

"It's complicated. There's too much going on." Bonnie shook her head. "You wouldn't understand."

Caroline shrugged. "Start from the beginning. At least tell me how long you've known Elijah?" Bonnie looked at her confused. "I overheard you talking. It sounded like he wanted your help with the disease."

Bonnie sighed, reluctant at first before opening her mouth. "He found me when I arrived at this camp. After all of the soldiers started coming down with their fevers he came to me."

"But why? Why would a vampire ask for a nurses help?"

"Because I'm not just a nurse." Caroline raised an eyebrow and waited for Bonnie to continue. She watched as Bonnie turned to the stove, giving it a hard stare before the flames started rising on their own. "I'm a witch." She whispered.

Caroline scrunched her brows, creating creases in her forehead. "How did-?" She whispered placing her hands on her forehead and began pacing back and forth in front of Bonnie.

"Before you say I'm crazy, just consider it. If there are vampires in this world, who is to say that other supernatural beings don't exist?" Bonnie gave the stove another hard stare as Caroline watched the fire go out.

The question bothered her and her breathing quickened. Vampires and witches. What other fairytale monsters existed?

"But-" Caroline said breathlessly as she slowed her pacing down.

"Caroline, stop." Bonnie said walking out to Caroline, placing her arms on her shoulders to stop her. "You're going to have to believe me if you want to know more."

Caroline stared at her, still bewildered from the new information but still wanting to find out more. "Okay." She whispered.

"I recently met them, but they've known my ancestors which is why Elijah came to me after finding out my last name." Bonnie paused looking away. "My ancestors, the Bennett's, they've had a very long and stormy history with the Mikaelson's."

"How long?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie looked at Caroline with a grave look in her eyes. "Nearly a thousand years."

Caroline breathed out shakily, trying to calm herself. Klaus is a thousand year old vampire. Elijah is a thousand year old vampire. And Bonnie was a witch. She paused, taking a few more breaths before asking her next question. "This disease, is it supernatural?"

Bonnie's eyes were grim as she nodded slowly.

That's why there was no cure. It didn't originate from any virus or bacteria out here. There was no way to save them because no one even knew that the reason for it existed.

"And they want you to stop it." Caroline whispered and Bonnie nodded once more. There were noises of footsteps outside of the kitchen that startled them both.

Bonnie began walking towards the exit. "I'm sorry. I can't say anymore. You'll have to ask Klaus or Elijah." She whispered hurriedly, before quickly making her exit out of the door and leaving Caroline with a headache from the new information, and a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She walked out of the kitchen to come face to face with Elijah who was staring at her with a calm and patient look. Regardless of his demeanor, she still jumped, startled by his presence.

Caroline mumbled an apology before trying to walk past him but he sidestepped, blocking her path.

"I was wondering, since we last spoke if you had seen my brother." Elijah asked.

Caroline shook her head as she looked up at his eyes seeing a bit of frustration cross his features. He turned to look to the side mouthing a few choice words to himself. "Is something wrong?" She asked, with a slight worried tone.

There were shouts by the infirmary and she looked over seeing a man being carried in on a stretcher. She saw the blood that was soaked up in the sheets that rested over him. Caroline went to rush over to help but was stopped when Elijah outstretched his arm in front of her. "What were you and Bonnie discussing?" He asked.

"Did Klaus do that?" She whispered frantically, ignoring his question.

He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Maybe it's best you go back to your duties in the infirmary."

She stared at him questioningly before nodding slowly and rushed over to the infirmary. When she turned around and saw that Elijah was gone, she stopped in her tracks. Looking around to see if Klaus was nearby, she grunted when he was nowhere in sight. And then impulsively, she ran away from the infirmary and back into the woods where she had last seen him.

The sun was nearly setting as she found herself in the woods leaving a gloomy blue light with hints of orange in the sky. She looked around as she walked quietly and deeper into the forest.

It was her impulsive actions that always got her into trouble. Her neurotic personality that endangered her. Always wanting to be in control, wanting to know everything that happened around her whether it involved her or not. But she had to keep telling herself that she became involved the moment she found out about Klaus being a vampire. The moment he tried to compel her and the moment he let her keep her necklace.

A snap that sounded like a twig breaking broke her out of her thoughts and she turned to look behind her only to find more trees.

"Caroline." She heard someone whisper and she saw Elijah stepping from behind a tree. "Don't move." He said with a warning tone. She backed up, fearing what he might do to her. "I said-" Elijah started but stopped when he watched her stumble and fall backwards.

Caroline's heartbeat raced as she pushed herself up on her elbows, shuffling her feet, she pushed herself backwards and further away from Elijah. She stared at him with a look of fear and resentment.

She stopped though. She stopped moving and the fearful look turned into a worried and imploring look after she heard a low growl behind her. She turned her head slowly and saw a dark grey paw, claws outstretched, resting on the dirt and dried leaves behind her. Another growl sounded as she looked up to see the face of a mean wolf. Its sharp teeth protruding from its mouth, its large golden eyes meeting her blue ones.

Elijah's hands were on her shoulders in an instant pulling her further away from the wolf. They were only a mere twenty feet away from the wolf.

Her knees were on the wet ground as she clutched her stomach feeling the bile rise up. She grabbed her head, which now ached and stung worse than it had the other day. There was a ringing in her ear as the wolf stared at her and Elijah, its nose slowly contorting into what looked like a human nose as the rest of its body began convulsing. Before she knew it, she violently coughed up the bile that forced its way out. But it wasn't bile she was met with when she looked at the ground below her.

It was blood.

**a/n: Bear with me guys! Bear with me! Please review and tell me your thoughts! I'm hoping it wasn't completely horrible. Thank you for reading. :)**

**Follow me on tumblr! Sweettemptation92**


	10. Chapter 10

**a/n: I haven't been feeling very motivated or inspired. My muse hasn't been around much. Sorry for the delay.**

**I know a few people had some problems with the last chapter but I did say multiple times to bear with me. Please be patient. I know what I'm doing. I've had this planned for a while. All of your questions will be answered. My inbox is always open so I can answer some of your questions if you left me messages there instead of anonymous reviews.**

**Regardless, thank you to everyone who is still reading and reviewing this. I can't believe I recently hit 100 reviews. I never expected it. Seriously, I can't thank you enough! You guys are amazing. Happy reading :)**

Klaus paced in the hallway outside of the room that Caroline was sleeping in. He had a troubled look on his face as he went through the night's events. He remembered the pain he went through as his animalistic body contorted back into its human form. And he remembered the split second of fear that rushed through him when he saw her body lying a few feet in front of him, in a pool of blood. Fear, that he was the one who put her in that position.

He finally stopped pacing and stopped in front of Elijah who was leaning against the wooden door. "What did she see?" He asked apprehensively.

Elijah looked at him and sighed. "You know what she saw, Niklaus."

Klaus sighed angrily and jutted out his jaw. "Elijah, I warned you."

Narrowing his eyes at his younger brother, he let out an amused chuckle. "You were missing, brother. You tend to find ways to be near her, and I simply asked if she had seen you. It isn't my job to keep an eye on her. And if we're talking about warnings, I believe I was the one who warned you not to heal her."

Klaus shut his eyes tightly and placed a hand on Elijah's chest. "I told you to keep inquisitive humans away from the woods."

He waved his hand towards the door. "You've got yourself a defiant young woman. She wouldn't listen even if I asked her to keep out of the woods."

Klaus knew he was right and went to open the door. He saw her sleeping peacefully on the bed. Caroline was usually full of fire and drive. She had never looked so calm before. Klaus couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even in her weakest hours, she looked beautiful. And he had never looked so enamored before.

And Elijah didn't fail to notice it. "You'll have to make a decision." Elijah said carefully, standing outside the doorway across from Klaus who had somehow made his way further into the room.

Klaus laughs bitterly, glaring at his elder brother. "I'm fairly certain I know what it'll be."

"You may be. But is it the right one?" Elijah said as he watched the scowl form on Klaus' face. He looked at Caroline lying on the bed as she began to squirm. "She's waking up. I'll leave you two alone."

Klaus turned his head to the side and heard her tired grunts. He sighed and after hearing Elijah's footsteps down the hall, then down the stairs, he folded his hands behind his back and walked closer to her bed.

He stopped next to a nurse he had compelled to take care of Caroline. She was holding a wet cloth to Caroline's forehead. Klaus held out his hand, "Leave us," he said. She handed over the cloth and exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

He sat on the edge of the bed once they were alone and frowned at her paleness. Slowly, be brought his hand to her head and lightly pressed the warm cloth against the sweat that formed above her brow.

She turned on her side, pressing her hip against his beneath the blanket. Her eyes began to flutter open and he brought his hand back and waited for her reaction. If she saw the wolf, she would scream in horror but if she didn't, she would look at him the way she did the other night when she thanked him.

Her face remained calm but then her brows scrunched together as she stared longer at him. "Where am I?" She asked hoarsely, looking around the room. Paintings hung on the walls and she noticed a fireplace behind him.

"We're in my house." He said, looking around with her. "One of them, at least. Don't worry we're still in France."

Confused, she pushed herself up, feeling dizzy as she did, and leaned her back against the wooden headboard of the bed. _One of them. How many homes does a person have?_ She thought as she reached for the water on the nightstand next to her. And then it hit her. Where she was. Where she wasn't supposed to be. "Klaus!" She exclaimed and he stood still as if her were expecting it. "You can't just bring me to your home in France. I'm a nurse in the army. I have a duty."

He chuckled and leaned forward to pat the cloth along her left arm as he held her other arm in his hand. "Relax, sweetheart," He said smoothly. "I've ordered Stefan to compel anyone who would wonder where you were. No doctors, no nurses, no soldiers, no Elena." He pulled the cloth away and dropped it in the bowl that sat on the nightstand.

"But Elena," She started to explain that she couldn't be compelled but he cut her off.

"I know all about you giving her vervaine." She looked down guiltily as he spoke. "Stefan won't harm her. As much as I disagree with his new life choices, he isn't that kind of man anymore. I'd like to think of it as a bit of an experiment for him. He'll grow out of it eventually."

She gave him a puzzled look. "He doesn't drink blood?"

He pushed himself up off the bed. "Of course he does. It's how we survive. He doesn't drink human blood."

Caroline looked at him apprehensively as he paced at the foot of the bed. "But you do?"

Klaus smirked and turned to face her. Curiosity and fear were written all over her features. "Well what did you expect?" He walked to the fireplace and grabbed a glass of whiskey, swishing the glass in his hands before taking a drink.

He was right. They were vampires after all. It was foolish of her to think otherwise. She turned to look at the wooden floors avoiding his condescending and amused stare. Whenever she looked at him, she couldn't help but lower her eyes to his lips. Looking at him only reminded her of the rejection.

But she needed to know something else. She needed answers. So she gathered up her courage and looked at his back that now faced her. "Klaus?" He turned his head to the side but kept his back to her. "What happened last night?"

"What do you suspect happened?"

"I saw-" Caroline whispered and paused, unsure of how to describe it.

"Go on." He urged as he finally turned around and watched her carefully.

"There was a wolf." She said quietly, her fearful eyes staring into his impassive ones. "It- it looked like it was in pain."

Klaus stepped closer to her, glass still in his hand.

She began to shake her head as if she couldn't believe the words she was saying. "Its nose, it was becoming human."

Her face was full of shock as she spoke them out loud and she gulped as he stood above her in a predatory stance. Klaus drank the last of his whiskey and placed the empty glass on the nightstand.

He sat back down on the bed, this time leaning closer to her face. Watching as her lips pressed together, she sat cautiously still keeping her eyes on his. Her hand went to her bare neck and she panicked as she realized her necklace was gone. Moving further away from him and out of the bed, her breaths became uneven as he stood with her.

"It was you," She whispered her voice evident of horror. "The wolf, it was you." He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him, their noses nearly touching. His eyes were boring into hers intensely and she wrinkled her forehead. "Would you do it? Would you really compel me? Take away my free will? Because if you would, you would have done it by now."

Her palm went to his cheek and he stopped moving. She spoke softly, "I'm not supposed to trust you and I've realized that maybe you aren't supposed to trust me. But I do," She paused, "and I hope that you do too."

His face remained stoic, not revealing what he was truly feeling. Klaus struggled to fight it once more. He had every intention of compelling her when he first walked in the room. Every intention of making her forget she ever met him. What he didn't anticipate was her confessing her trust. Even after she realized what he was. But perhaps her admission had nothing to do with that. Perhaps it was just about her trusting him not to take away her free will. No one had ever trusted him. Not even his family.

The burn that formed in the pit of his stomach, the desire to take her, to enjoy the taste of her lips consumed him. She looked at him with wide and innocent eyes, glancing down at his lips as he reached for her wrist and pulled her hand away from his cheek letting it fall to her side. With one quick move, his hand pressed against the hair on the back of her neck and he crushed his lips to hers. The softness of her lips moved slowly against his, sending chills down her spine.

He pulled away and brought his hand to her face, caressing her cheekbone with his thumb and stared at her incredulously. He waited for her to pull away but she stayed still, staring at him with a look that mirrored his.

His hot breath hit her lips and her breath was shaky as she moved closer to him again, her eyes fluttering shut as her lips made contact with his again. Their lips moved together slowly, quickening little by little with each breath. His kisses became urgent and her pace matched his as he pushed her back against the wall behind them. His tongue darted out and he traced a line along the bottom of her lips before she finally gave in, parting her lips. Their tongues danced together, tasting every inch. Her knees became weak and a moan escaped her lips against his tongue.

Raising her hands to his head, she ran her fingers through his curls, pulling on them with need. His hand moved from her cheek to her shoulder and down to her waist before finding his way to the hem of her dress. He raised it, scrunching it up little by little as his lips implored hers. He held her thigh in his hands before finally carrying her as she wrapped both of her legs around his back. Pulling her away from the wall, he led her to the bed laying her down slowly. She pulled away only for a moment before grabbing his neck and pulling him back down to her. Klaus' hands caressed her stomach as she took his bottom lip between her teeth causing him to release a moan.

Klaus brought his hand to the buttons on her uniform and he began to unbutton the top one. "Wait," She whispered against his lips, grabbing his wrist, stopping him. He pulled away slowly and saw the doubt among her expression. He sighed frustrated as he rolled himself off of her and sat next to her on the bed. As her breaths slowed, she pushed herself up and leaned against the headboard next to him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I just," She started and faced him. Though he looked frustrated a moment ago, he now looked understanding. "I need to know what's going on before we-"

"All right." He said softly, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and standing up.

He turned his head to the door as he heard the footsteps make their way down the hall. There was a knock on the door before it opened. Caroline and Klaus looked at Elijah by the door.

Elijah's face broke out into an amused look before he turned to Klaus. "Niklaus, what did we decide?"

Caroline's face reddened as the realization hit her. Vampires have enhanced senses. Suddenly feeling too exposed, she pulled the blanket up to her chest almost wishing she could crawl under it and hide there until he left.

"We'll tell her everything." He shrugged as if it were the obvious decision and Elijah's lips curled into a slow smile before he nodded.

He turned to the door and began walking out. "Come, I've had dinner prepared for us."

Caroline turned to look at Klaus with a concerned look. What did dinner even mean to them? He chuckled before walking over to her side. "There's real food as well."

He held out his hand as she stood up and placed her palm in his. He squeezed her palm lightly once before bringing his arm around her waist, leading her out the door and down the stairs. She looked around the hall and saw the length of it, with multiple doors on each side.

"Your house-" She said looking around as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "It could probably be considered a mansion." She looked out of the large window that she assumed faced the back of the house. The fields and gardens went on before disappearing in the darkness. She wondered what it looked like in the day.

"It is considered a mansion." His hand pressed against her back and turned her to the left towards the dining room.

Elijah was waiting at the edge of the eight person table and she walked closer to him to see the three white glass plates. Each had their assortments of chicken and vegetables and she breathed a sigh of relief. Klaus pulled out a chair for her at the end of the table and waited for her to sit down. He took his seat next to her, across from Elijah and began eating. Caroline picked up the fork and knife and ate slowly as she looked between the two brothers. Elijah stared at Klaus until he finally leaned back against the table. "Shall you start or I?" Elijah asked.

They stared at each other for a moment before Klaus faced Caroline who waited expectantly. "To answer your previous question, yes, the wolf you saw was me."

She gasped quietly to herself even though she knew they could hear. Her eyebrows furrowed as she asked, "But how? Aren't you-"

"A vampire? Yes." Klaus interrupted, nodding.

Elijah sipped the drink in front of him. A drink that Caroline assumed was blood. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Niklaus was born from a werewolf bloodline before our mother turned us into vampires."

Caroline turned quickly to look at Elijah. "Your mother was a vampire?"

Elijah shook his head slowly and set the drink down folding his hands in front of him. "She was a witch. Our mother, Esther, couldn't bear the thought of losing another child, so she made us immortal with a spell older than any other. We were the first vampires ever created. But as vampires, we lost control. Our natural instinct was to kill and the werewolf gene was only activated if death was caused by your hands."

"Meaning, I'd turn every full moon if I killed someone. Only I didn't know it at the time," Klaus said as he scoffed.

Elijah stared carefully at Klaus before turning to Caroline. "Our mother had an affair with a man from another village who carried the werewolf gene. Niklaus, had lasted longer than most of us. Our brother, Kol and sister, Rebekah, at first we despised our fate but eventually we embraced vampirism. Niklaus fought it for long, until the bloodlust became too much to handle. When he made his first kill, it activated the werewolf gene."

Caroline turned to look at Klaus who kept his eyes on Elijah as he spoke. He avoided her stare by nodding at Elijah, urging him to continue.

"Before he turned, mother created a curse, leaving Klaus' werewolf gene dormant which angered him. As a werewolf, your anger becomes hard to contain and Klaus was always angry. Especially with our father, Mikael."

Klaus looked at Caroline to see if she was understanding and she nodded waiting for them to continue. He leaned back and said, "Mikael always hated me and never shied away from showing it. When I eventually found out why, Esther made it so that I could never get my revenge on him. She was the adulterer yet I was the one who was at fault somehow. After that, I embraced my path as a vampire the same way my siblings did."

Elijah raised an eyebrow at Klaus. "Not the same way."

He glared at Elijah before raising his hand defeated. "Perhaps I was a bit more ruthless. But only when I was crossed."

Caroline nodded hesitantly; trying to process everything she was being told. "Where is the rest of your family now?"

"Finn, our eldest brother the only one who hates our fate as vampires, lives in self-loathing with a woman named Sage. She's his only reason to live. Kol, our reckless younger brother, travels around the world. He shows up every now and then, always causing trouble. Rebekah, the youngest, is in England, hating Stefan for breaking her heart in the twenties." Klaus spoke quickly and bitterly of his siblings.

"And your parents?" Caroline asked carefully. From what she knew so far, it sounded as if they were better off without them.

"We've been running from Mikael for nearly a century. He hates our existence and has been trying to kill us ever since he turned us." Elijah explained solemnly.

"Then why did he turn you in the first place?" Caroline asked.

Klaus laughed bitterly and scoffed. "He wasn't aware of the abominations we would become."

Caroline shook her head. "Don't say that."

"Ask me where my mother is." Klaus pressed.

Caroline didn't want to. She was afraid of the answer he would give her but she asked him reluctantly. "Where is Esther?"

Klaus chuckled before looking at the plate in front of him. "I killed her." He spoke as if he was trying to sound menacing, trying to sound as if he didn't care. But Caroline heard the crack in his voice and she saw the twitch on his face as he frowned regretfully for a mere second. But in that moment she didn't care if he regretted it. She exhaled heavily and shook her head.

"You _killed _your own mother?" She pushed back her chair as if she were leaving but remained seated.

Elijah spoke up. Of course Klaus would say it in the worst manner possible. He was never known for subtlety. "To be fair, Niklaus did it to protect us. Esther had been trying to kill us for years. We're vampires Caroline. We have a different set of morals than humans."

"I can't be here." She whispered as she pushed herself up from the chair and turned to walk towards the door.

"If you leave, we'll have to compel you to forget everything." Elijah said calmly. "And in spite of what you just heard, I know you still care for my brother."

Klaus leaned forward in his chair and stared at the back of Caroline's head as she stood still. He wanted her to turn around and stay, for him but she hesitated and that was all he needed. "You've only heard just half of the story." He said.

"How much worse can it get?" She whispered to herself and he smirked as she made her way back to her seat though she avoided his looks. "Fine." It was silent for a few moments as both brothers looked at her as she stared at the empty plate in front of her. "You said that Esther created a curse, making the werewolf gene dormant." Caroline said, finally breaking the silence. "How did you break it?"

Elijah smiled and said, "To break the curse, we needed a moon stone. We also needed to sacrifice a werewolf, a vampire, and a doppelganger on a full moon."

"A doppelganger?" She asked, confused.

Elijah nodded. "When mother made us vampires she used the blood of a woman whom both Niklaus and I had loved," Caroline turned to look at Klaus finally who stared angrily at nothing in particular. "Mother grew tired of our bickering over her and ended it by sacrificing Tatia, thus making her a doppelganger. Every few hundred years a woman from her bloodline would be born with the same face."

He paused to see if Caroline had any questions but as she remained silent, he continued. "In 1492 we came across a woman named Katerina Petrova. She had fled Bulgaria to England and that's when we took her in along with a werewolf and another vampire."

"So you killed innocent people for this curse?" Caroline asked, remembering that Bonnie said they were nearly a thousand years old.

"Werewolves and vampires are far from innocent." Elijah said and then he looked away as he said the next part. "We did not kill Katerina."

Klaus scoffed and shook his head. "You see, Elijah fell for the Petrova charm twice, first with Tatia and then with Katerina. He couldn't let her die so he asked a witch that would assist us in breaking the curse for help. She gave him an elixir that would bring her back to life after the curse was broken. It worked, despite our doubts and the curse was broken. But the little wench tricked a comrade of ours into turning her into a vampire. She ran and we haven't seen her since."

Caroline looked at Elijah with a sympathetic frown. He had saved Katerina's life and she only ran from him in the end. She learned that both of them had mastered the art of hiding their true emotions. When they were actually hurt, their faces remained impassive and stoic.

Elijah cleared his throat once more. "You might be wondering what we're doing in the war."

"Yes, actually." Caroline said, nodding her head. "The disease. Bonnie said it was supernatural."

Klaus looked at Elijah with narrowed eyes. "I told you we couldn't trust the witch."

Caroline sighed and shook her head. "It isn't her fault Klaus. I wouldn't leave her alone until she told me."

He stayed silent before finally sighing. "Yes, it is supernatural."

She was beginning to get a headache from all of the information they were giving her in just one dinner. She remembered the time her parents first told her about vampires and how disoriented she felt. But this, there was so much more that her parents didn't even know about. And she knew that she would never be able to tell them. She sighed pressing her hand to her forehead, "How is that even possible?"

"Esther is out to kill us again." Klaus said as if it were the most simple explanation.

"But she's dead." Caroline said, perplexed.

Elijah nodded. "She is, but witches still have their powers even in the afterlife. Especially those as strong as her."

Now Caroline felt disgusted and she understood why Elijah and Klaus hated her so much. "So she's killing innocent humans just to get to her children?"

Klaus sat up straight as he said, "As a warning I assume. We're not sure what else she has planned."

She reached for him and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "But you healed me, why can't you do the same for them?"

Elijah looked at Klaus disapprovingly. "That's the thing. I warned Klaus not to, but he couldn't let you die."

Klaus moved his hand away from hers as she looked between the both of them. She felt closer to him knowing that he couldn't see her die similar to the way Elijah couldn't let Katerina die. But there was something about Elijah's tone that worried her. "Why did you need to warn him?"

Elijah paused and sighed. "I healed someone with my blood a day before you caught the disease. He was cured and became healthy again," He paused and looked at Klaus, "but not for long. That's why I was looking for Klaus last night."

She narrowed her eyes at them and placed a flat palm on the wooden table. "But I feel fine. You healed me."

Klaus closed his eyes before leaning closer to her. "Caroline, you coughed up blood last night." He said softly.

She exhaled the breath that she was holding and shook her head trying to remain calm. "What are you saying?"

"We had a witch slow it down." Klaus said hesitantly.

"Slow _what_ down?" She shrieked standing up, her hand now balled up in a fist. Klaus and Elijah both stood with her. Caroline looked between them holding back the tears that threatened to fall. She knew what they were going to say and wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it.

It was silent for too long until Elijah finally spoke cautiously. "Your death."

**a/n: Surprise… don't hate me. I hope this chapter answered a few questions. I know I did a lot of explaining on their history and the curse that you already knew of but some details were different. At least they finally got a proper and official kiss. Unless you thought that sucked too. **

**Tell me what you thought. Hopefully it wasn't too horrible! Follow me on tumblr :) Sweettemptation92**


	11. Chapter 11

**a/n: I'm officially the worst. **

**I'm sure at the moment you don't want to read my explanations because they're all just poor excuses for my horrible behavior. So you can just skip this and get onto the reading if you don't care. I foolishly decided to take on a heavier load this semester so I haven't had time to write and whenever I do have time, I waste it and procrastinate on tumblr. I'm sure some of you understand how that site can suck your soul and steal your life away. For those of you who follow me, you may have also noticed a bit of a love/hate relationship I have with TVD and Klaroline at the moment. There's really no other excuse other than me being a terrible person. So for those of you who still care, here it is.**

**Thank you to my friends, my faithful reviewers, and my silent readers for still sticking with me.**

**And special thanks to my wonderful friend Sunny, for encouraging me to write. Without her, this chapter would have probably been posted months later. Go follow her on tumblr! Her url is givemelovelikeklaroline. :)**

She knew.

Before they even said it, she knew. She knew it the moment her nausea returned after Klaus healed her. She knew the moment the bile became too much to squelch. Her ignorance just chose not to believe it.

Her eyes cast down at the empty plates on the table, hiding from Elijah's pitiful stare, hiding from Klaus' concerned stare.

Gently, Caroline began to shake her head. A slight innocence took over her features.

"No," she whispered softly, more to herself than to the other men in the room. A childlike pout formed on her mouth as her bottom lip began to quiver. The tightness that created the knot in her throat as she swallowed angered her.

Her easy breathing quickened and she could feel herself losing air. She began to hyperventilate. The slow and gentle shakes of her head accelerated, becoming more intense. "No," she said, louder now. She balled and opened her fist before finally slamming them down on the table, breaking the porcelain plate beneath her.

Elijah sighed and continued to stare at her pitifully, glancing down at the broken plate. The blood from the scratch on her hand, trailed from the plate and onto the table.

"Caroline." Klaus whispered, taking a step closer to her, watching as she took one step back.

Caroline stared down at the broken glass beneath her hand, slowly shaking her head. "I'm sorry." She said barely audible, shaking her head once more before turning on her heal and running out to the hallway.

* * *

_How is this happening? _She thought to herself.

She was pacing somewhere outside of the mansion and found herself in the open grass between a garden and a large pool. She grabbed her heart, breathing deeply, trying to relax her body, but she needed to move. She saw spots when she fled from the dinner table. Their faces, Elijah's and Klaus', were pitiful and she couldn't bear to see the looks.

Too much.

It was all too much all at once. Collapsing onto the ground, she ran her fingers through her hair.

Their history, had been one she'd never heard. Heartbreaking, sad, inspiring. Brothers to the end. Fighting against their murderous and destructive mother. But they were monsters. Her eyes avoided his the moment he told her the truth about Esther. It was tragic really. They had eternal lives, a gift that every mortal would hope for.

But perhaps she was the lucky one. She may have been an only child and she may not have completely understood the dynamic between siblings, but that didn't mean she didn't understand family. In the end, she would give up her life to protect her mother and father, in the same way that her parents would sacrifice theirs on behalf of her safety. They were monsters, yes. But were they really all that different?

And as much as it should have, it didn't change the growing ache she felt in the pit of her stomach for Klaus.

What would her parents say? She was recklessly becoming enamored with the one thing she was taught to hate.

And she was dying.

She would be dead in hours, minutes, maybe even seconds, yet she still had no way to contact them.

_Move._ She thought to herself after having sat on the grass for too long. An hour must have passed by since she came outside. Her great control had always been a known quality throughout her life. No one knew her as the girl who sat around. Caroline Forbes made things happen and she would not sit on the grass and feel sorry for herself for another minute.

Pushing herself up off the grass, she steadied herself as the yard around her began to spin. Caroline placed her cold palm to her forehead and shut her eyes tight as she walked slowly to the doors of the mansion.

She blinked as her view came into focus and quickened her pace to the back doors. When she opened the glass double doors, she found herself in a large room. The crackling noise and the smell of burning wood turned her attention to the fireplace. Someone had recently been in here.

She looked around the room and saw multiple canvases next to a desk covered in artwork. Closing the doors behind her, she maneuvered around the couch that was in front of her to eye the art. Some were covered in paint, some with charcoal, and some with pure, black ink. The art ranged from landscapes, to animals, to women.

One in particular caught her eye. Her fingers made their way to the drawing and the girl that stared back at her, stared with a polite smile. She could have been looking in a mirror. There was no denying that this was her. When she lifted the drawing, she saw another beneath it. There was no smile this time. In fact she wore a sad look on the second drawing. She looked somber, haunted. But she looked beautiful. Caroline wondered if that was truly what she looked like.

"Your lips."

She hastily dropped both pages immediately as soon as she heard Klaus' voice behind her. She readied herself to apologize when she processed his words. "My…" She trailed off with a questioning stare.

"Your lips. I made a mistake when I was sketching your lips." Klaus smiled cheekily and rubbed the remaining paint off of his hands with a white towel. His stare enchanted her, with his lips slightly parted and his eyes on her mouth.

Instantly, she blushed and turned back to the drawing. "They're beautiful." She whispered.

"They're nothing compared to the inspiration." He said, causing the red to flush to her cheeks once more. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Her smile faltered and she shook her head slowly. "Not fine. Far from it, actually."

He pressed his lips together staring at her with a look she swore could be defined as sad. "I wanted to come after you but Elijah thought it'd be best for you to have a few moments to yourself." He dropped the towel on the arm of the couch and hesitantly took a step towards her. After she'd heard their story, he didn't know how close she would have wanted him.

"You didn't think I'd run?" The step she took towards him countered his thoughts. She couldn't help herself when she was around him. It was as if they were gravitated towards each other whenever it was the two of them in a room.

He took another step and smirked finally stopping in front of her. "The thought crossed my mind, but we're the only ones who know what's happening to you. It'd be foolish of you to run. Then again, we are experts when it comes to tracking so it wouldn't have mattered either way." Klaus raised his fingers and brushed the stray strand of hair behind her ear. He didn't pull away and kept his palm on the hollow of her neck.

They stood silently for a moment and she shut her eyes tight. "I'm beginning to feel," She paused searching for her words, "I feel dizzy, weak." She breathed out.

"I know." He whispered. It was alarming. The pain she saw in his eyes was never an emotion she expected to see from him.

"How long till I," She couldn't bring herself to say it and he knew it.

His finger lightly curled around a strand of her hair. "A few hours. Perhaps a day."

She opened her eyes and stared at his pleadingly, "You have to take me back."

He exhaled and pulled his hand away. Though he was no longer touching her, they were still close. "No."

She pushed herself away from him and rubbed her forehead as she paced. "Please. I have to say goodbye to Elena, I need to write my mother and father, I need to do something other than sit here and wait for my death!"

"You're not dying." He said abruptly

Caroline opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, wincing as she fell to the couch clutching her head with her elbows on her knees. "Oh," She winced as a searing sharp pain shot from her neck to her head. "It hurts!" She cried. She began coughing up blood, dirtying her white uniform.

Klaus sat down next to her. Comfort had never been his forte but since he met Caroline, it was all he wanted to do whenever he saw her hurting. With other humans, he was usually the one causing the pain but with her, he wanted to take it away. He raised his hand and began rubbing circles on her back. He reached for the towel he placed on the arm of the chair and held it out for her to hold.

Caroline continued her violent coughs. When they started to calm she looked at the patterns on the carpet below her. "My mother, my father, they won't," She began in between breaths. "I'm their only child."

Klaus kept quiet, softly massaging up and down her back, waiting for her to continue. "I only wanted to help others in life. I wanted," Caroline breathed deeply holding back the tears that watered here eyes. "I wanted my life to matter." She turned to look at Klaus, "I don't want to die." She cried quietly. The tears she had been holding in began to fall and she felt the hot water touch her lips. She wasn't sure if it was her blood or her tears.

"We can arrange that," Both Klaus and Caroline turned to look at the door to see Elijah. "My apologies, if I may interrupt," Elijah spoke calmly as he took a step into the room. "Niklaus, how much time has passed since you healed her?"

Caroline stared at Klaus questioningly and he kept the impassivity in his eyes. "Three days. The blood should be out of her system by now."

"What does that mean?" Caroline asked quickly looking between the two brothers.

Elijah looked at Klaus for a moment before finally continuing, "You could live as a vampire. In order to become one, a person must die with vampire blood in their system. If your choice is to live, we can arrange that."

Her brows furrowed together and she shook her head fiercely. "I can't be a vampire!" She shouted which only made her cough more. Caroline stood up from the couch quickly.

Elijah glanced at Klaus who jutted his jaw out angrily. "Then you'll die," Klaus said, standing up with her. "And if I heard correctly, you just announced that you didn't want to."

Caroline shot him a look and glared at him. "How dare you?"

He smirked and tilted his head. "I'm only stating the facts, Sweetheart."

Caroline grunted and took a step towards him, punching his chest with the little strength she had left. This side of him was insufferable. "It isn't simple! My family would hate me. I'd be a monster." She whispered as her punches slowed down.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her, "We're back to that, are we? Do you really find me so monstrous? An innocent girl like you displayed quite a lot of affection for this monster just moments ago."

"Niklaus," Elijah said carefully.

She scoffed, shaking her head, "This isn't about you, Klaus!" She shouted, feeling the heat raise to her cheeks.

Caroline had spent minutes screaming at the idea. They spent longer screaming at each other as Elijah calmly watched the two of them. Her first thought was _no, absolutely not_. She was not about to become the one thing her parents hated. How would she hide it from them? They would never accept her and sometimes her mother had difficulty accepting her as she was now. What if she harmed them?

She would no longer be able to be a nurse according to Elijah, at least. Her bloodlust as a vampire would be too strong. She wouldn't be able to be around the injured with her lack of control. It only made her wonder why they were able to control it until Elijah explained to her that with time comes control. With time, comes power, strength, and knowledge. Being the oldest vampires in history meant that they were the strongest; they were the most knowledgeable, the most powerful, and the most feared.

Klaus grew more frustrated by the minute. He wanted her to choose to be a vampire. They were only just beginning. Whatever emotions they shared, were so new to him and he wasn't ready to give it up. Perhaps he never will be.

She was an infectious disease, latching onto him and refusing to release him from her spell. A spell he didn't want to be released from. A part of him thought it would be best if he were to allow her to die, to stop himself from getting further attached. His feelings for Caroline were foolish, but he couldn't bring himself to let her die. Yes, he wanted to give her a choice, but that only meant he had to offer her the endless possibilities that the world had to offer.

Their arguing went on for just a few minutes until she grew tired and weak. She nearly collapsed in Klaus' arms, stopping both of their arguing immediately. She was growing weaker by the minute and she could feel that she didn't have much time left to spare. They all knew it.

She was lying in bed now as the nurse they compelled pressed a wet cloth to her sweaty forehead.

The door shut quietly and she glanced up to see Klaus by her side in seconds and the nurse quietly exited the room, leaving the two alone.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours though it was only seconds.

"Leave." She whispered finally, though her eyes begged him to stay.

Klaus' jaw went tight and his eyes flashed with quick rage. She was still pushing him away. "No," he said, sitting down next to her on the edge of her bed.

"I don't know yet, Klaus. Please, just leave." She sighed, closing her eyes to avoid his gaze.

"You don't want me to," He whispered, squinting down at her.

And he was right. She didn't want him to leave. She was alone, afraid, and she trusted him more than she should have. All she wanted was for him to be by her side, to feel his warmth. She wanted to be in his arms, wanted his comfort, and she wanted him to assure her that everything would be fine. But she knew he couldn't, so she settled for this. She settled for just him sitting beside her, staring at her with those eyes that so easily reeled her in. The eyes that didn't tell her what she wanted to her, the eyes that told her the truth. He was worried.

He grabbed the towel and wiped the trace of blood that she had running down her chin. She was so pale, so different from the healthy girl he first met.

"Why are you making me do this?" She asked him, the tears welling in her eyes.

He sighed as he spoke, throwing the towel aside and resting his palm over her leg, "I'm allowing you to make a choice. A choice I never had the option to make."

"And if I choose to die?" She asked.

"I'm hoping I can make a convincing argument." He smirked at her and a soft smile fell on her lips. They sat in silence and he contemplated lying next to her, to hold her frail body in his arms but repressed his urges and settled for just sitting beside her.

"If you had the choice, would you have stayed human?" Caroline began tracing lines in the back of his palm. The palm that rested so lightly over the blanket on her thigh.

He released a heavy breath and pressed his lips in a tight line before answering. "No."

She stopped tracing lines on his hand and slowly pulled away turning to look him in the eyes, though he kept his eyes on the wall in front of him, "Why not?"

There were a thousand answers that ran through his head. Nine hundred of them would have only scared her away. So he went with the one that mattered most in this moment. The one that he knew she would accept. He turned to look at her, staring into her eyes with the intensity that he wished would help her understand. "You don't exist in the world that I was born in.

She smiled softly with her eyes closed, breathing slowly and deeply, struggling to find air. "Give me a different reason." She whispered slowly.

He sighed and looked to the wall above her. "Mikael was always larger, stronger." He hesitated as he began telling her the story he had never voiced out loud to anyone before.

"I once lived in fear of him, in fear of many around me. When we became vampires and I activated the curse, I became the strongest. I became the most powerful creature on the planet. I no longer had to hide from Mikael's threats. I could protect my family against him."

Klaus could see the pity in her eyes as he spoke. He saw her eyes flash as she considered it. It was the idea of being able to protect her family that caught her attention. When she closed her eyes again, he continued, "There's more to it than power. There's a whole world out there and it could be yours. The endless possibilities could all be yours."

They were both so focused on each other that they didn't notice the two men standing quietly by the door watching the scene unfold in front of them.

Elijah cleared his throat and they both turned to look at him to see Stefan standing next to him.

"Stefan." He said, as he stood up slowly. "I thought I told you to keep an eye on the doppelganger."

Caroline wondered what he meant by that. Katerina had run from them after the curse was broken. Had they found her again?

Stefan hesitated before speaking, "You did," He said slowly. "She's missing."

She opened her mouth to ask about it but Klaus stepped out into the hallway with Stefan just as she was about to speak.

They stood right outside the door, speaking in whispers too quiet for her to hear. She watched Klaus with his arms crossed, looking angry, and Stefan looking nervous. Elijah stood to the side, with a calm look as always, speaking quietly along with them.

She thought of the world Klaus just offered. She was in France now, far away from home. After the war she would be able to do so much more, see so much more.

As Caroline watched them converse in frustrated whispers, she wondered if becoming a vampire would mean she'd have the problems that they seemed to have. They seemed to always be in constant trouble or maybe this was just now and not every day. Her mother and father always searched for trouble as well. Maybe this could be their insurance. She could protect them. They hunted vampires when they weren't working. She learned that Klaus cared for his family, Elijah was noble, and Stefan was humane despite all being vampires, but she knew that not all vampires were good. Just like this war had proved that not all humans were good.

She struggled to keep her eyes open as she watched them. Klaus stole a quick glance at her before turning back to Stefan.

Her breathing became slower and slower and she was tired, oh so tired. Her eyes dropped shut slowly, losing sight of everything around her. In the dark, she lost it. Everything in her. Her mind, her desire to live, and her will to fight. She lost it all. She lost her hope and she lost her light. "I'll do it." She whispered as she danced on the lines of death. "I want to live." She whispered hoarsely. _I want to fight_, she thought.

And just as she felt herself slipping away, she felt his familiar arm press lightly against her lips. She felt the warm, copper taste hit her tongue and found herself slipping further and further into a sleep she feared she wouldn't wake from.

**a/n: Hopefully I didn't disappoint too many of you. **_**Constructive**_** criticism is always welcome. :)**


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